


sanguis, calor

by quavemire



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Multi, aka sehun gets gangbanged with a side of plot., technically it's the other way around but my motive remains clear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-01-20 16:30:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21284729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quavemire/pseuds/quavemire
Summary: Yet, not even that was as strange as the beings occupying them. They were ethereally beautiful, their eyes on Sehun, faces in expressions of curiosity and… hunger.Sehun froze in place. Vampires.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Oh Sehun, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Oh Sehun, Huang Zi Tao | Z.Tao/Oh Sehun, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Oh Sehun, Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun, Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Oh Sehun, Kim Minseok | Xiumin/Oh Sehun, Lu Han/Oh Sehun, Oh Sehun/Everyone, Oh Sehun/Park Chanyeol, Oh Sehun/Wu Yi Fan | Kris, Oh Sehun/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Comments: 39
Kudos: 271
Collections: EXO MONSTERFEST 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> written for exomonsterfest 2019, prompt L63

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> revised and edited version posted 25.4.2020. see end notes for details.

Sehun had learned not to ask questions.

Questions got him in trouble. He stayed quiet as two of the manor’s servants led him to the West wing, towards the study room. They had come to his door when the clock hit twelve, guiding him out without saying anything.

It was unusual for servants to come fetch him, with no further explanation, yet not entirely unheard of. Sehun picked on his nails, walking alongside them. Sighing quietly, he crossed his arms, awaiting for something boring.

Ahead of Sehun was a long hallway, at the end of it, double doors leading to the study. The other servant turned back, leaving Sehun alone with the other. He did not recall seeing him once. The manor was grand, the people working there plenty in numbers. It would not be odd for Sehun to not see all faces before they left. Servants came, servants left.

The other servant opened the double doors to the study, the hinges not making a sound. Sehun had a faint recollection of a group of humans doing repair work around the manor, which would explain the lack of creaking. 

The older the manor got, the worse it fell apart at the seams.

Only then did it occur to Sehun that the study was the last place he would be led to, if this was an ordinary situation. He clenched his hands into fists and stepped through the doors.

The room’s decor had been changed drastically, from when Sehun had last stepped foot inside it. What used to be empty space was now filled with armchairs, arranged in a half circle. It was a strange way to arrange anything, in such a large room.

Yet, not even that was as strange as the beings occupying said chairs.

The people sitting on them were ethereally beautiful, their eyes on Sehun, faces in expressions of curiosity and… hunger.

Sehun froze in place. Vampires.

There were eleven of them, more than Sehun had ever encountered at once. Terror-stricken, turning his gaze down, Sehun let himself be led to the middle of the room, the servant guiding him to sit on the chair facing the vampires, in the middle of this strange half circle.

Sehun sat on the armchair, keeping his gaze down. His pulse beat at his throat, perspiration slicking his hands. Out of all situations imaginable, this was one that Sehun never imagined being in.

“Pretty,” one of the vampires said, tilting his head to the side. Sehun jumped, his fingers clenching to the leather of the armchair. The servant beside him bowed and left. He should answer, he knew he should, but the way his pulse beat in his ears gave him no room to think.

“Nobody told him we were coming?” another one said, amusement trailing on his handsome face. Sehun bit his lip, avoiding looking at him in the eye. 

“Don’t mind the younglings. We will take great care of you.” 

Head whipping to the direction of the voice, Sehun was met with an unfamiliar face an inch from his. Body freezing on the spot, Sehun let out a terrified whine, jumping back from the shock. 

“Oh, did I scare you? I’m sorry. You may call me Minseok,” the vampire said, a smirk on his face. The vampire was back on his seat before Sehun could even blink, just a blur before his eyes. 

Sehun tried looking around for a servant, but he had left already. He was the sole human in the room, possibly in the entire wing, with eleven vampires. The panic coiling in his stomach rose up, impossible to contain. 

Vampires did not mindlessly slaughter, that had not happened since the old times, but Sehun could not help his terror.

He should have asked questions. Preferably never left his room.

Tears rolled out of his eyes. Sehun took a shuddering breath, lifting his bare feet up on the chair. Sehun hid himself in his knees, holding in a sob. Nausea welled up in his throat.

He had been in the same room without vampires before, and had the same reaction, but this was something way worse.

“Okay this is not a good source of entertainment anymore… Why is he crying?”

Pressing his face into his knees, Sehun hid from view, heart beating out of his chest. Tears burned his cheeks and eyes. 

“What’s the fun in this if he just keeps  _ crying?” _

“Quiet, Lu Han. You’re not helping.” The voice was much deeper, reverberating through Sehun’s ribcage. “Yixing, would you?” he continued. Sehun held his breath, screwing his eyes shut. His instincts were telling him to run, futile though it was. Being vampires, escaping them would be impossible.

“Hello, dear. Could you look at me?” a soft voice said. He was close enough that puffs of air hit Sehun’s hair. Presumed Yixing had a pleasant sound in his voice, the kind that made Sehun want to do what he had asked. Slowly, Sehun lifted his head up. “Why are you crying?” 

“I-I don’t know,” Sehun answered, keeping his gaze off to the side. Looking vampires straight in the eye was never a good idea.

Yixing hummed, lifting Sehun’s chin with a finger. The finger was colder than a human’s would be. “Look at me.” 

Sehun locked gazes with the strange vampire.

Warmth flooded Sehun, washing over him like warm water. A soft smile spread across his lips as it slowly crept into his mind, muddling his anxious thoughts. The nausea subsided, only a feeling of pressure in his throat remaining.

“Don’t go too far,” the deep voice said. As if underwater, Sehun frowned, trying to comprehend the words.

Yixing chuckled, stroking Sehun’s cheek. His hand was warmer now, the skin silky smooth. Sehun’s head lulled against it, the tears on his face drying.

The strange sense of comfort spread across his body in pulses, his tense shoulders dropping down, mouth falling open. Good, would be the right word to describe it.

Sehun smiled, head lulling against the vampire’s hand.

“Do you feel better now?” Yixing asked.

Sehun nodded, hands still shaky. Yixing smiled comfortingly and retreated, pulling away from Sehun. 

Sehun let out an alarmed whine, grabbing the figure in front of him. His hand met solid flesh, curling around the man’s thigh. “Oh. Poor thing.”

Holding on tighter, Sehun looked up into Yixing’s eyes. Not quite sure what he was doing, Sehun let go, a slight tremble in his hands. He knew that he did not want the feeling to go away.

“Have you ever been close to this many vampires before?” Yixing asked, sitting on the armrest and pulling Sehun’s head against his chest, fingertips pressing into his temple.

Shaking his head, Sehun clung to the vampire tightly.

Someone scoffed. “Of course.”

A shudder ran through Sehun’s body, the terror creeping back in. His breathing turned superficial, like he could not get enough air. Screwing his eyes shut, Sehun curled against Yixing’s chest.

“Please shut up,” the man with the deep voice from earlier hissed, getting up from his armchair. Sehun cracked his eye open, the man’s feet approaching him. 

A large hand came below his jaw, lifting it up. Sehun turned his head away, still grappling onto Yixing for comfort.

“Open your eyes,” the same voice said, much gentler this time.

Sehun screwed his eyes shut. shying away from the hand. 

“Open them,” the man repeated.

Breath hitching, Sehun opened his eyes slowly, staring at the man’s shirt. Black, heavy silk, tucked into a pair of black slacks. He refused to look up.

The man grabbed his chin, bringing it up so that Sehun was forced to meet his eyes. The movement was not forceful, but Sehun there was unyielding strength behind it.

A quiet whimper escaped Sehun’s mouth. 

“Do as I say and this will be much more pleasant for you,” the man said, standing straight and not bending over in an effort to get it through like people usually did. Somehow it was even more terrifying. Sehun nodded, forcing a whimper down that threatened to spill from his lips.

“Yifan,” Yixing said, his voice now lower. “He’s a human. You do not have to do that.” 

Yifan’s hand dropped immediately. “Excuse me,” he said, poising himself. Whatever that had meant, Sehun was grateful.

“Why do you think you have been brought here?”

“I don’t— I don’t know,” Sehun sniffled, sinking his nails into the armchair. Sehun winced, scrambling to back up against the arm chair’s back, against Yixing’s side.

“Do we need to have a  _ talk _ with someone?” a short vampire asked from the sidelines, tilting his head to the side.

Yifan chuckled darkly. “Perhaps, Minseok, perhaps.” Turning to Sehun, the man took a step back, standing straight “Sehun?”

“Y-yes?” Sehun nodded, biting down on his lip.

“It appears that we have a lot of explaining to do.”

One of the vampires rolled his eyes and slumped down on the chair, slouching over even more than he did previously. His hair was a mess, large ears poking out of the untameable mane. It was kind of endearing.

“Have you heard of the Deal?”

Sehun brought his gaze back to Yifan, wringing his fingers. It took a moment for him to recollect his thoughts. He had heard of it, yes.

“Vampires are supposed to keep their own in check and support the monarchy?” Sehun said, wincing. It seemed like he was in one of the endless history classes he had been forced to attend, prior to being excused into the mansion.

“You were not told about the rest?” Yifan asked, face an emotionless slate. It had Sehun swallow dryly.

Sehun shook his head. He had read of it, the references in the literature copious, even abundant during some periods, but never more than a mention, a fleeting clause.

A vampire scoffed. “This is unbelievable.”

“Shut up, Jongdae. Come on Yifan, get to the fun part,” the mane-haired man mumbled.

Fun part? Was that where this Yifan sunk his teeth in Sehun’s neck and drained him dry? A shudder ran through Sehun, hopefully small enough to go unnoticed. “Fun part?” Sehun asked tentatively.

“Minseok,” Yifan said, clasping his hands behind his back and walked back to his armchair, sitting down. His footsteps barely made any sound on the carpet.

“Me?” the vampire asked, looking disinterested. 

“You, Minseok. Yes,” a vampire sitting beside Minseok chuckled. “How many Minseoks do we have here?”

Minseok sighed in defeat, ignoring the other. Yifan shot a sharp glance their way. “Silence, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun made a very un-vampiric face. Sehun pinched his lips together.

“The whole thing is too long to explain, so I will… gloss out, the boring parts. The less tediously lengthy version is that this monarchy exists because we want it to.”

Sehun nodded, so far able to connect what he was being told to the things he had been taught. For a moment, he wondered what the expression “we” meant exactly.

“We keep everything at bay, rogue vampires to neighboring countries. In exchange, we, as in the clans, get an heir from the bloodline. Do not ask me why. Perhaps our ancestors were culinarista of some sort.”

There was a quiet chuckle from the other vampires, and Sehun got the impression that their ancestors were not the only ones to enjoy tasty sustenance. Sehun swallowed. He had only heard of the first part. Nothing about an heir, or a bloodline. He could only assume they meant the royal bloodline.

“That poses the question, as the clans are plenty in numbers, how is this heir shared?” 

Minseok donned a wicked smile.

“At first, there was a huge uproar. Everything was suggested, from sharing the heir as a challenge cup of sorts, to clans fighting until last man. Then, they realized they could just let the heir themselves select the vampire most pleasant to them.”

Sehun blinked, not quite getting what it had to do with him. Then it dawned upon him. Oh no, he would not enjoy being a challenge cup for the eleven clans.

Lu Han leaned over in his chair, his sharp eyes staring into Sehun’s with uncomfortable intensity. “You are that heir. The other part of the Deal. We have come here to.... be considered by you.”

Sehun leaned back, meeting the solid, cool surface of Yixing’s body. Only now, after the terror from before had subsided, Sehun realized how inhumane Yixing was in more ways than one. “I— I don’t understand.”

Yifan lifted his ankle to rest over his knee, pointing at Sehun. “You are the other part of the Deal.”

“What…?” Sehun tensed, clamping a hand around his wrist, wringing it nervously.

“Which means we were forced here also, unfortunately,” the un-vampiric vampire said. He had brown hair, which set him apart from the others. 

Minseok looked like he wanted to punch through his face. Sehun would share the sentiment, if he could comfortably do so.

“What Baekhyun is trying to say is that we are here because of the Deal, too,” Yifan sighed, leaning back on his arms. “Representatives of the eleven clans, all here in one room.”

“Yeah, Yifan’s trying to say that in short you’re gonna choose one of us and the Deal is fulfilled for the next five hundred years,” the maned vampire said with a wide grin, leaning over the armrest of his chair.

“Chanyeol.” 

The vampire flinched at Yifan’s tone. “Sorry,” he pouted, hugging his knees, demeanor completely changed from his previous confident slouching.

Strange, so very strange.

“Choose one?” Sehun asked, flitting over the faces of the vampires, getting increasingly alarmed.

Yifan tilted his head, nodding. “According to the Deal, yes. I understand it is not a pleasant sentiment without any previous knowledge of the matter.”

Yifan spoke like all of the novels from two or three centuries ago. Sehun would have found it hilarious, but unfortunately his mind was busy trying to comprehend the sentence.

When he finally did, Sehun’s mouth fell open, roving his eyes over Yifan, then the rest of the vampires around the room. They were all incredibly attractive. Sehun’s cock twitched in his pants at the thought of having them all. His body was sending him mixed signals. It was true that vampires were the apex predators, above all else. “Oh.”

Sehun shook his head in confusion, eyes flickering to the other beings in the room. Some of them looked disinterested, slouched on their armchairs artfully. Statues.

“How long have you been here?” Lu Han asked and leaned his elbows on his thighs.

Sehun bit his lip, counting the years of solitude backwards in his head. “Four years. Give or take.”

Eleven pairs of eyebrows shot up in an instant. 

Sehun whimpered, a wave of nausea hitting him, forcing him to double over. He tucked his head between his knees, trying to get air into his lungs.

“Yixing,” Yifan said.

Yixing was beside Sehun in an instant, calmness washing over him. Sehun deflated against him, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Breathe, dear,” Yixing hummed, carding his fingers through Sehun’s hair.

“Four? Alone?” Yifan asked, tilting his head.

Sehun kept his eyes closed, hiding in Yixing’s chest. “More or less.”

“Humans,” someone scoffed in distaste.

“Poor thing,” Yixing sighed, pity in his eyes. His fingers carded through Sehun’s hair, pulling the strands back. Flush rose on his cheeks, burning the tip of his nose. He avoided Yifan’s eyes the best he could, not wanting to freeze again, or blush more.

“You’re having him all for yourself,” Baekhyun, the same vampire who teased Minseok before whined. “Get to the point, Yifan,” 

“Why is it my duty to introduce you, Lu Han? You are all exceptionally capable of doing it yourself,” Yifan said, placing a hand over his ankle,

The tone of the exchange bringing the nausea back, Sehun grasped Yixing’s shirt. Another gentle wave of calmness lulled over him. “Thank you,” he sniffled, wiping tears from his eyes, not wanting to give them a chance to roll down. It was all so embarrassing, but being vampires, they should be used to humans having adverse reactions to them. 

Yixing looked down at him, smiling softly. “You’re doing so well.”

Sehun smiled weakly, letting his lids droop shut for a moment. Yifan gazed at Yixing longingly when all of Yixing’s attention was turned to Sehun. It was odd.

“You are the best at it,  _ duizhang,” _ Lu Han leered.

“Quiet,” one of the more intimidating vampires said, the mood of the room dipping again. Beside Yixing, it was not as intense as it was when Sehun faced it alone.

Sehun took a peek at the vampire who spoke first. Pretty, expressive face, but terrifying all the same. Lu Han. 

“All right.” Yifan sighed in defeat. “In no particular order, Lu Han, Kyungsoo, Minseok, Yixing is the one you are cuddled up to, Baekhyun, and Zitao” Yifan gestured, the vampires in question turning towards Sehun. The last one, Zitao, grinned and waved at him. He had very distinct features. Attractive, but different.

Sehun turned to the rest of the vampires, digging his nails into his palms.

“Then, Chanyeol, Jongdae, Jongin, and Junmyeon,” Yifan concluded. 

There was no way Sehun could keep up with the names, but at least he tried. Giving a small smile and a nod, Sehun went back into Yixing’s embrace. Why was he cuddling up to an apex predator willingly was a burning question. It won the horrible nausea, though.

“Yifan,” the grinning vampire from before muttered. 

“What, Chanyeol?”

Sehun turned his head the slightest bit to witness the interaction. Knowing what was to come would not hurt, right? Chanyeol seemed to be recovered from the previous scolding, back to grinning like an idiot. If he were not a vampire, it would be rather endearing.

Chanyeol whined, hanging over the armrest. The sudden display of utter childishness made a confusing contrast to the other, more stoic vampires.

Yifan chuckled, smiling fondly.

The shift in his tone confused Sehun.

“Can I?” Chanyeol asked, perking up from his slouched state.

Yifan nodded, standing up to give room to the vampire. He had funny ears. Sehun kind of wanted to pinch them.

He flitted closer, behind Yifan’s shoulder. “He’s so pretty,” Chanyeol gasped, leaning closer, grinning ear to ear. “I’m Chanyeol.”

Sehun put on a polite smile and nodded. What he really wanted was to grab a blanket and wrap himself in it and never face any vampires again. Only a part of it was healthy self-preservation. He tucked himself into Yixing’s embrace as Chanyeol skirted around Yifan, coming close to him.

Chanyeol put his hand on Sehun’s neck, thumb pressing into the pulse point. Terror struck Sehun, nausea washing over him in waves.

“Chanyeol,” Yifan said.

Yixing grabbed Sehun’s shoulder, bringing him closer. Sehun appreciated the gesture, letting himself melt against Yixing’s solid torso.

“Sorry,” Chanyeol grinned, not the least bit sorry.  _ “Adorable,”  _ he mouthed to Yifan.

It was clearly not meant for Sehun’s eyes or ears, so he stayed quiet on the matter. Chanyeol flitted back to his seat, away from Yifan’s reach.

“Are we done here?” Jongdae asked.

“I think so. But who’s going to take the human first?” Baekhyun asked, biting on his thumb nail. Sehun’s breath hitched, his gaze flitting anxiously across the eleven faces in the room.

Ten pairs of eyes stared at the back of Yifan’s head. “I will, Baekhyun.”

Sehun nodded, clamping his teeth around his lip. Baekhyun. Short, had an annoyed tone in his voice. Brown hair. He was very pretty.

Baekhyun pouted and flitted off, three more vampires following him, only giving Sehun a slight wave before disappearing out of the room.

One second they were there, the next, gone.

“Bye, Sehunnie. See you tomorrow!” Chanyeol grinned and disappeared, though not as gracefully as the four others. Sehun made a mental note to ask about it at some point, and immediately felt horrible about his thought.

“Will you be alright?” Yixing asked.

Sehun nodded. He would only be fooling himself, but there was not much he could do. Yifan clearly ordered the rest of the vampires around. If he chose to have Sehun alone, he would have Sehun alone.

The rest of the vampires flitted away, leaving the room as if they weren’t there to begin with. Yifan turned towards the clock on the wall. Yixing smiled softly and walked out, only reaching vampire speed when he got to the hallway.

Yifan took a few strides, hovering behind Sehun, hand on the back of the chair.

Sehun cleared his throat and got up, staring at Yifan’s feet, determined to avoid eye contact.

“It appears to be late. I shall escort you to your room,” he said, pinning Sehun with his gaze. It was not a suggestion. Yifan tilted his head, as if waiting for direction. 

Sehun inhaled sharply. “T-this way,” he stuttered, leading the vampire towards his wing. 

Out of all the vampires in the mansion, Yifan was the one that terrified Sehun the most. He had not shown a hint of emotion at Sehun’s panicking, yet had such fondness over Chanyeol’s bumbling. The other vampires seemed to fear him, and the quiet, short vampire the most. 

Yifan trailed one step behind him all the way to the East wing, expression unchanging as they walked along the carpeted hallways.

Taking a couple of deep breaths as they climbed the staircase, Sehun let himself calm down and push the strangeness of the situation out of his thoughts. It was like hosting a guest. Just like the etiquette taught him, only that his guest was a centuries old vampire. Just a creature that could kill him in a heartbeat.

Sehun clamped his teeth on his lower lip, trying to keep the nausea down. It was easier with just one vampire. Easy would not be the word either, though. Sehun suspected it had something to do with the vampire’s age.

Heading towards the East wing, Sehun walked briskly across the hallways, ending up in front of his bedroom doors. Sehun leaned into the double doors, letting his weight push them open. If he had any say in the decor of the mansion, heavy double doors would be the first to go. A soft chuckle rang in the hallway. Was Yifan laughing at him?

Probably. At least Sehun would, if he were a centuries old vampire watching a human struggle with doors.

“So. My quarters,” Sehun said, putting up a brave front.

Yifan walked in, hands clasped behind his back, taking in the high ceiling and large windows. Sehun deemed it fit to entertain himself and stopped by the vanity, taking off his bracelet, the only piece of jewelry he wore. Yifan stayed behind staring at the stars, a blurry figure in the mirror.

“Is it not bedtime for humans?”

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Sehun ignored the condescending tone and nodded. A few hours of sleep would not hurt. It was almost one, after all.

“Then, shouldn’t you get ready for bed?”

Turning his head away, Sehun nodded and placed his hands on the vanity.

“Do as you would do if I was not here. I’ll see you to bed and go meet the others,” Yifan said and sat on Sehun’s armchair, crossing his ankles. 

Sehun covered his surprise with a quiet cough. Strange, so very strange. Pompous was a word often used to describe vampires, especially in the novels Sehun read. This behavior Yifan represented himself explained some, if not most of it.

Yet again, Sehun would be the same if he were an ancient vampire.

“Go ahead.”

Sighing in defeat, Sehun opened the topmost button of his shirt, then his cufflinks, letting them drop on the vanity beside the bracelet. That constituted as getting ready for bed, right?

He let the sleeves fall over his hands as he made his way to the closet, pushing the double doors open. Sehun tried glancing at the vampire in the room, but the wall hid him from Yifan’s gaze. 

Contemplating on whether leaving the doors half open was a good choice or not, Sehun walked to the dresser. Leaning against it, Sehun stared down at his sleep shirt, folded on top of the drawer neatly.

Do as you would if I was not here, had Yifan said, which meant he should probably undress and change. Sehun huffed in exasperation, tugging the second button open. Sehun quietly cursed at the too tight button holes, trying to force the button through the hole.

“Let me help,” Yifan hummed, appearing in front of Sehun out of nowhere, unbuttoning his shirt faster than humanly possible. Sehun jerked back, heart in his throat. 

“I apologize. Did you startle?”

“What do you think?” Sehun wheezed, grabbing the dresser in an effort not to faint. That would not leave a good impression. Nor would it be nice to be unconscious in the presence of a vampire.

Yifan shrugged. “Hmm. ”

Taking a deep breath, Sehun closed his hands into fists to stop them from shaking. The area around his eyes throbbed painfully. Collecting himself, Sehun shrugged the shirt off his shoulders, tugging the sleeves down.

“Should I hang this?” Yifan asked, taking the shirt from Sehun and folding it over his arm.

Sehun nodded, not trusting his voice to voice anything out loud without breaking down and stuttering. He could not conjure a polite enough sentence to have Yifan leave him alone, so he left it at that. 

Yifan flitted away, back the next second, before Sehun felt the displaced air on his skin. 

Reeling back from the sudden movement, Sehun clutched his bare chest, hand shaking the slightest bit. Stinging pain burned in his chest, his nails digging in and pressing crescents into the sensitive skin.

Amusement danced on Yifan’s face as he grabbed the sleep shirt from on top of the dresser. Sehun scrunched his brow, pain blooming in the back of his head from the blur of Yifan’s movements, spreading around his eyes.

“Does it hurt? I apologize,” Yifan said. It did not sound the faintest bit genuine. 

“It is alright,” Sehun said, pressing two fingers against the throbbing spot. It was slowly circling around his whole head, pain blooming around his eyes.

“Was it the movement?” Yifan asked, shaking the shirt in the air so that all of the silk fell straight down. 

“I… I think so?”

Yifan smiled a little, spreading the shirt for Sehun to slip in. “I shall try to refrain from that, then.”

Sehun did not want to dignify that with an answer, so he turned around, slipping his arms inside the shirt. His hands slipped through the cuffs easily, which was strange as he faintly remembered not opening the cuffs in the morning. 

Sehun let Yifan pull the shirt over his shoulders and button it, top to bottom, reaching around his torso blindly. Sehun held his breath. Yifan was too close, both terrifying and handsome.

Wrapping his long fingers around Sehun’s wrist, Yifan buttoned the cuff, tugging the sleeve down over his palm, hovering close to his back. If Sehun were to lean back, his back would meet Yifan’s chest. Sehun grew increasingly confident in the fact that Yifan was probably doing the torment on purpose.

There were no gentle puffs of air hitting Sehun’s shoulder. Vampires didn’t breathe. Sehun bit his lip, trying not to let it bother him.

“Turn around,” Yifan said, doing the other one too. 

Yifan smoothed the shirt over Sehun’s chest, straightening the collar, pressing it down around Sehun’s neck. After that he stepped back, giving Sehun some space.

Do as you would do if I was not here, had Yifan said.

Sehun got rid of his trousers, kicking them off to the side, though making sure the shirt draped down far enough to cover him up.

Yifan politely directed his gaze away, walking out of the closet. True to his word, he walked out like a human. Sehun let out a deep sigh of relief at not having to embarrass himself further. 

Left on his own, Sehun let a shuddering breath, picking his trousers from the ground. He threw them on the dresser, leaning against it. The throbbing pain behind his eyes got worse. 

Pushing himself up straight, Sehun pressed his palms into the sockets of his eyes, taking a couple deep breaths. He’d have to get out soon. Into the dragon’s lair, his own bedroom. 

Sehun put all his emotions aside, choosing to deal with them at a later date. Yifan was in his room to stay, until he—according to his own words—had seen him to bed. 

Sehun emerged from the closet, closing the doors behind him. Yifan leaned against the vanity, a long finger running over the edge, decorated with golden ornaments.

“Hi again,” Sehun said, trying to force the pain away by sheer willpower. His pulse, which had been racing for the whole time, was finally starting to calm down, making way for exhaustion.

“Do your eyes hurt?” Yifan asked.

Sehun nodded, pressing against the throbbing spots again.

Yifan came beside him, pressing his thumb and forefinger into the ache right below Sehun’s skull. “I will tell the others to avoid moving too fast.”

“T-thank you,” Sehun sputtered, leaning into the pressure. It traveled across his neck, releasing some of the pressure. He swayed on his feet, the nausea coming back milder, but still there.

Yifan helped Sehun to the bed, taking slow steps. “Lie down, please.”

Terribly polite, terribly handsome, terribly terrifying. Yifan was everything in one, and Sehun was unable to keep up.

Sprawling himself in the middle of his bed, Sehun tugged the covers over his legs, clamping his fingers into the sheets. 

“Let me help,” Yifan said.

Sehun bit his lip, nodding. He could decline, but so far Yifan had not done anything that caused discomfort to him.

If he were honest, there was next to nothing Yifan could do that Sehun would not like.

Yifan smiled, just a fleeting curl in the corner of his lip. He got up, walking across the room. Sehun let his eyes droop shut, only barely seeing what Yifan did.

As Yifan wet a towel in the basin beside the vanity, he promptly pulled the covers up to his waist, propping himself up with pillows.

Yifan’s lines got blurry again, disappearing and appearing beside the bed in a second. So much for not causing distress.

“Close your eyes,” Yifan said quietly, wrapping the damp cloth around two of his fingers.

Sehun sunk into the pillows, his eyes pressing shut all the way. The smooth cloth ran over his cheeks and eyes, swiping along the sides of the nose, across his lips, dipping onto his neck, Sehun let his eyes open halfway as Yifan pressed the towel into the back of his neck.

“Thank you,” Sehun muttered, tugging the covers more on himself. 

“My pleasure,” Yifan said, walking across the room and back. “Anything else?”

Shaking his head, Sehun clutched his wrist to his chest, avoiding Yifan’s gaze. Exhaustion weighed at his limbs, yet he was too jumpy to even try to sleep.

Yifan sat beside Sehun, placing his hand on his chest, right above where Sehun’s heart beat. His eyes were fixed on Sehun’s rising and falling chest, as if hypnotized.

Sehun hid behind his hands, too exhausted to object, yet exceptionally embarrassed. 

Yifan chuckled, pulling the duvet down to press his hand against Sehun’s sternum, only the fine silk between his hand and Sehun’s skin.

Sehun opened his mouth to retort, but Yifan placed a finger on his lips. The next second it was gone, a stream of air leading to the doorway grazing Sehun’s skin.

“Good night, Sehun,” Yifan said. 

Sehun turned his head to see, but he was already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter [@quavemire](https://twitter.com/quavemire)
> 
> i am not sure whether this will pop up in the subscribers' inboxes but if it does, i apologize! 
> 
> i had a minor meltdown with this fic, and realized that the reason was because the first chapter was very much rushed and not as good as it could be, and certain characterizations were wholly off. for my (and your) sake, i need to be proud of what i have put out, especially as this work is more self-indulgent than most. this is why i will edit and revise chapter two also, before posting chapter four. thanks for your understanding and i offer my apologies!
> 
> (if you're sick and tired of waiting, dm me on tweetar and tell something you have liked so far or something you anticipate, and i will give you a snippet!)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is over 5k and i feel like nothing happens?? or is this just me, who has stared at this chapter for ages now? ahh, sigh, writing is so hard.

Leaning against his arm, Sehun huffed in exasperation.

Vampires. There were eleven vampires in the mansion, supposedly _ fighting over him, _ whatever that meant. That would have been good to know. He was not keen on seeing guts and blood on the mansion walls. The Deal had been made centuries ago, when vampires tended to have a pompous flair to them, but you never knew.

He had no one to clarify him what was going on. His only option was to play along and feel dumb. Sehun recollected the eleven faces from the night before, barely remembering their names. The memory was fuzzy, as if he had been drunk. Turning a page, Sehun let his head thunk against the paper, groaning in defeat. He had headed for the library the first thing when he awoke, darkness still shrouding the manor, hoping it would clear his head.

No use. 

He could not concentrate, the whole day passing by in dragging seconds, the servants bringing him food every couple hours. Not having slept properly for days, his head was a mess. Then, after all that, spending his time worrying about the vampires and what it all meant was not helpful.

Sehun had a feeling that people had entered his room in the middle of the night and touched his things, which worried him. You never knew what vampires could do as you slept.

Pushing the intruding thoughts away, Sehun shook his head and shuddered. “I’ve read too many vampire novels,” he whispered.

In his defense, someone had gone through his books whilst he slept. He was certain that the novels on his reading table were in a particular order when he left it to meet the vampires. They were not in that order when he woke up.

Terrifying would not suffice as a word to describe the situation. Yifan had not been the one to touch them, and the servants knew better than to touch things Sehun had placed in order. None of it made any sense and it exasperated Sehun. He huffed in exasperation and let his forehead thunk against the table.

The door creaked quietly. “Your Highness?”

Sehun shot up from his hunched state, heart in throat. 

The voice that heard from the door was not a vampire’s. Sighing in relief, Sehun slumped over the table again and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Sorry for disrupting you, Your Highness. The guests have requested your presence at the dining hall in fifteen minutes. Your meal has been prepared.”

Sehun did not lift his head from the table. “Alright…”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” the servant said, disappearing out of the doorway.

Sehun sighed. More vampires. How great. He shuddered, reminded of the way the vampires made his skin crawl, his body ready to bolt out of the closest doorway. It would be no use though. Vampires would outrun him easily. 

How could someone be so afraid and so intrigued at the same time? 

The clock on the wall got louder the more Sehun looked at it. Technically he had been invited to a dinner, but it was late morning for vampires. Sehun groaned, blowing all the air out of his lungs. What did vampires even eat?

Sehun whined, hugging his knees tightly. The book in front of him proved no use in distracting him from his oncoming doom. He slammed it shut and pushed it across the table, rocking back and forth.

The worst thing about the whole situation was that these vampires were hot. Ridiculously hot. It would be much easier to ignore their existence if they were like the other vampires Sehun had met. Like his etiquette tutor, the only vampire he had spent time with.

Sehun hid behind his hands, willing the impure thoughts away. Along with that, he tried ridding himself of the embarrassment he put himself through with Yifan, but that was of no use whatsoever. 

“I can’t believe I told him that…” Muttering to himself angrily, Sehun recalled the events of the night before, after the clock hit twelve. The study room, the taunting words, the panic he felt, Yifan’s words.

Nothing he saw, absolutely nothing, was of liking to him. 

Sehun punched the table and wheezed. “That is… so embarrassing!”

Sehun dropped his head into his hands, whining pathetically. That was not how he imagined his night to go. Digging his fingers into his temples, Sehun squeezed his eyes shut. It would be alright if Yixing was there, aiding him with the panic. Though relying on the powers of one of _ them _ might have not been smart.

There was nothing he would not do if he could avoid meeting Yifan. He was not sure he would be able to live through the embarrassment of seeing him again.

“Get yourself together,” he muttered, pulling the novel back on the edge of the table, opening it from the page he left off. Sehun pressed his fingers into the pulse point of his neck, the vein thrumming against them with urgency. 

Sehun took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down before landing his eyes on the first paragraph on the page. It should be able to distract him from his oncoming doom, even the smallest bit.

The huge clock on the wall hit ten, booming across the library with the bell inside.

“Shit!”

Sehun slammed the book shut, rushing out of the library, running across the hallways, down the staircase. He was in no way shape or form in an attire suitable for brunch, or whatever the hell the vampires would call it, but there was nothing he could do.

Slowing down to a walk as the dining hall doors appeared in front of him, Sehun clutched his chest. His heart in his throat, pulse pounding against his palm, Sehun walked over to the doors. 

Sehun took a deep breath. There was no way he would be stepping inside the dining hall out of breath. He was going to be fashionably late, not look like he had just ran across the whole building.

For some reason, the double doors were still shut, so Sehun pulled them open, peeking inside. The long table in the middle was vacant of any vampires. Sehun looked around confusedly. Shrugging, he sauntered over and counted twelve wine glasses, but only one of the seats had utensils and a plate, with the usual setting of three sets. Strange, very strange.

He sat down and unfolded the napkin on his lap, looking around the room. The smell of food wafted from the kitchen, but there were no other souls in the room. The clock on the wall showed ten o'clock precisely, so Sehun was not there at the wrong time, either.

Huffing and pouting, Sehun crossed his arms and waited, tapping his nail against the tablecloth impatiently.

“Young Master,” a soft voice from the side said, accompanied by the familiar clatter of a serving cart.

A servant pushed it across the hall, the smell of steak wafting into his nose. The appetizer would be served first, which meant the smell came from the ajar door to the kitchens and not the cart ahead. “Your quests shall arrive minutely. Would you want me to serve your appetizer now or after they have arrived, Your Highness?”

Sehun squinted, eyes flickering to the entrance. “Now, thank you.” They were late, not him. Sehum would grasp each and every crumble of control he could.

The servant nodded, pouring him a glass of water and serving a bowl of tomato soup and bread, placing them in front of Sehun. After that, he bowed and retreated, leaving Sehun alone in the grand dining hall, accompanied by Sehun’s quiet thank you.

He sighed, picking up the spoon furthest from the plate, lifting himself up to a good posture to begin eating. 

The lack of cutlery laid on the table confused Sehun. Then it dawned upon him. Vampires lived on blood, not human food. He chuckled at his own stupidity and took a sip of water, holding the glass daintily from the stem.

Swirling his spoon in the soup, breaking etiquette without remorse, Sehun had a moment for himself. The hall was mostly quiet, only the muddled clatter coming from the kitchens disturbing the silence. Sehun brought the first spoonful to his lips. It was excellent, as expected from the manor’s chef. 

It was dismal, eating alone in such a grand hall. Yet, knowing the only company he could have was a group of vampires did not help either.

Sehun’s gaze flitted to the door as several pairs of footsteps approached, softened by the plush carpets lining the hallways. The doors creaked open, three men stepping inside with the, smooth grace old vampires had. 

“Well hello, dear Sehunnie,” Minseok mulled seating himself diagonal across the table from Sehun.

Sehun acknowledged him with a nod, secretly preening inside from the pet name. Baekhyun and Yixing followed, sitting next to Minseok, turning their eyes to Sehun. “Hello,” he greeted, trying to fight off the stutter from his voice. Still unable to handle the presence of vampires, Sehun had to let his spoon go for it not to clatter against the bowl.

Yixing frowned, reaching over the table to grab Sehun's hand. “Are you alright?” he asked in the soft voice of his, rubbing his thumb over Sehun's left knuckles.

Smiling shyly, Sehun nodded, feeling Yixing's comforting aura breach through the need to bail and run out of the room. He had told him it would get easier, but Sehun was still dubious.

“Where are the others, Baekhyun?” Minseok asked.

“The others are… Having fun,” Baekhyun said and smirked, leaning on his elbow, creasing the tablecloth. 

Minseok scoffed, inspecting the wine glass in front of him. “Or just being lazy. The young ones are still sleeping.”

Sehun frowned. It had been dark for hours already.

“Their loss,” Yixing shrugged, downing the rest of the blood in the glass, licking his lips clean. Sehun gripped his hand tighter, hoping that he would get the message and help him feel at ease again. Yixing smiled comfortingly, and a wonderful wave of serenity washed over Sehun. He sighed, eyes fluttering shut as the feeling got more intense, all the tension bleeding out of his body. 

It was frightening to not be in control of his own body, but it was better than the terror vampires made him be in. There was nowhere he could go. He would gladly take any little advantage he could. 

Baekhyun sipped from his glass, every bit as refined as Sehun imagined a vampire to be.

“Just breathe, Sehunnie,” Yixing hummed, still grazing his thumb over his knuckles in a slow pace. The corner of Sehun’s mouth twitched, the turmoil of emotions finally settling down.

“Well, what did you do with Yifan?” Baekhyun asked, wiggling his eyebrows. He poured more wine for himself and Yixing, the smell of iron wafting into Sehun’s nose. Blood, mixed with wine. A delicacy, according to the vampire tutor Sehun had.

Sehun swallowed. Baekhyun, along with Yixing, was one of the vampires he did not feel as anxious around. It did not mean he was not anxious, though.“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Are you sure?” Baekhyun cackled and leaned over. Sehun froze. “Wu Yifan, did nothing?”

Sehun’s hand twitched in Yixing’s grip, who shot him a worrying look. A flush spread on Sehun’s cheeks from sheer embarrassment. Not even Yixing’s touch and comfort was enough to dull it down. There were implications behind Baekhyun’s words Sehun would not like to think through.

He picked his spoon back up to have something to do, continuing with his soup as the vampires stared at every movement he made.

“Why would Yifan break the pact?” Minseok butted in, twirling the wine inside the glass. “It would not make sense for him to do that, Baekhyun.”

Sehun was about to ask which pact, but then remembered Yifan’s words. Breach of contract. He was not that dumb to not realize what it was about.

“Why not? I would. Just look at how cute he is,” Baekhyun grinned.

“It’s Yifan we’re talking about,” Yixing chuckled, leaning over the table, pulling Sehun’s hand close to his face so that his knuckles brushed against the tip of his nose. “Though he does smell really good.”

The vampires were talking of him as if he was not in the room. Sehun supposed he ought to get used to it. They seemed to be in the manor to stay. Tuning out of the conversation, Sehun finished the last bits of soup, placing the spoon down inside the bowl.

“Is that all you are going to eat?” Baekhyun asked, tilting his head to the side. Sehun hid his smile. Baekhyun was a cute vampire. If those even existed in the first place, that is. Shaking his head, Sehun turned to the kitchen doors, folding his hands on his lap.

Another servant entered the room, serving Sehun the main course without making eye contact with him or the vampires.

Pursing his lips, Sehun leaned back, letting the servant take away his empty bowl, placing a new plate in front of him. The lid was lifted off, revealing an assortment of cheeses and meats arranged around three small cups of jams. Four courses of food, then, or three, depending if dessert would be served. Sehun thanked the servant quietly, avoiding the gazes of the vampires.

A current of air caressed Sehun’s hair when he had just begun eating. He lifted his head, gaze to the doors, where a tall vampire stood.

“Zitao, dear. Where are the rest?” Yixing asked, pouring wine into the glass beside him. Zitao sauntered over and sat down beside him.

“Yifan told them not to come.”

His voice was softer than expected, a contrast to his harsh and sharp looks. 

Baekhyun tilted his head to the side, muttering something under his breath. Sehun held his breath and brought a piece of cheese dipped in jam on his lips. Yixing placed the glass in front of Zitao and folded a napkin under the wine bottle.

“I’m not sure that’s… a good idea,” Zitao said, staring at the glass dubiously.

Minseok tilted his head to the side and sipped his wine. “Why not?” 

Zitao’s brow furrowed and he shot a meaning look towards Sehun. “He’s here, and there’s blood,” he said, pointing at the glass where red wine swirled around languidly.

Yixing placed a hand on Zitao’s thigh. “I am here, Zitao. It will be alright.”

Zitao took a shuddering breath and muttered something inaudible, grabbing the stem of the glass. Sehun watched in fascination as Zitao tipped the glass back, red wine sliding along the glass, between his lips. Zitao’s fingers twitched into the tablecloth, and for a moment Sehun imagined being on his lap, his fangs sinking into his neck, blood pouring out.

A sound of pleasure escaped Zitao’s mouth, his lips bloodied red. Yixing grinned, as if he had just said _ told you so, _ and poured more wine in Zitao’s glass.

Sehun tore his eyes away and made sure the next piece he brought to his lips was perfectly aligned to avoid looking any of them in the eye. A couple deep breaths later Sehun had all but forgotten Zitao’s expression, only the faint thrum in his veins an indication of him being in danger.

Letting the vampires’s conversation pass by, Sehun ate his meal in peace. The nausea had subsided greatly, only a slight pressure at his throat reminding him of the presence of the vampires. It could be much worse, and it would be, if the rest were there. 

The dessert was brought over in a smaller cart, the old plate taken away. The servant lifted the lid, revealing an assortment of fruit laden in cream. Sehun cursed in his mind. Fruit plates were a weakness of his, but so messy and hard to eat without making a mess.

“Ohh that looks good,” Baekhyun said and leaned over to get a closer look.

Sehun smiled as an answer, waiting for the servant to disappear behind the doors before picking up his fork and piercing a piece of mango. His eyes lit up, the smile not going away. “It’s because it is.”

Zitao tilted his head to the side and looked at the plate in wonder. Sehun kept his eyes down, waiting for the vampires to resume their earlier conversation, but it never happened.

They all kept on staring at him eat, piece by piece without saying a thing, until Sehun pressed the fork into the last piece fruit, bringing the cream-laden treat to his lips. The flavor of mango burst on his tongue and mixed with the sweet cream.

Minseok and Yixing shared looks with each other, then turned to Baekhyun. Zitao’s eyes flickered to Sehun with an apologetic smile.

“I guess it is my turn now,” Baekhyun said and pushed himself up, a smirk playing on his handsome features. Sehun bit his lip. Minseok rolled his eyes in exasperation and put the glass down, reclining against the back of the chair.

“Let me tuck you to bed?” Baekhyun suggested, hand doing a flourish towards the doors.

Sehun’s breath hitched. For all Yifan’s visit had been embarrassing, it had been nice to have someone tucking him in. The servants who usually helped him get ready for bed never even made eye contact with him. “Y-yeah. Okay.”

Sehun set his dishes correctly and pushed himself up. He tried not to let them see his hands stutter, so he clenched them into fists by his sides.

“Excellent,” Baekhyun purred, leaning in closer, his nose brushing against the side of Sehun’s neck.

“Don’t corrupt the human,” Minseok chuckled. “Good night, Sehunnie.”

Sehun fidgeted with his fingers. Baekhyun rolled his eyes, pulling Sehun against his sturdy body. Zitao took a few steps, hiding half behind Minseok’s shoulder. It was not all very convincing, with Zitao being a head taller than him.

Sehun could say he liked them. A small smile spread across his lips. “Good night, Minseok.”

Minseok blew Baekhyun a kiss, flitting out of the room. Zitao grinned and ruffled his hair. “Good night, Sehun. And Baekhyun,” he said and walked away, leaving them alone in the room. Sehun bit his lip, wrapping a hand around his bicep. 

Baekhyun turned Sehun around, squinting at him. The next second Sehun found himself on Baekhyun’s arms, clinging at his neck for dear life. An alarmed noise crept up Sehun’s throat, escaping his lips in a quiet _ eek. _

“Shush,” Baekhyun silenced him, hoisting him up on his arms.

“W-what?”

A smirk played on Baekhyun’s face. “Close your eyes baby.”

“Wha— _ eek!” _

The hallways passed by in a blur, Baekhyun’s soles thumping against the carpet, only a slight jostle indicating that they indeed were moving.

Feet coming in contact with plush carpet, Sehun swayed disoriented, leaning into the closest surface he could find. He muttered a curse under his breath and gagged once, twice, before lifting his head up. He was in front of his bedroom doors, the left side ajar. Baekhyun stood right there, amused.

Sehun curled up into himself and pressed a palm against his chest. “I-I’m going to throw up.”

Baekhyun scoffed. “No you won’t. You’ll get used to it.” Sehun lifted his head up and glared at him before another wave of nausea took him over.

Sehun gasped for air, clinging onto the doorframe, vision still blurry. “Used to being hurled across the entire mansion in the blink of an eye? No!”

“You’re so cute,” Baekhyun said and cooed, petting Sehun’s hair, twisting the strands in his fingers. Sehun let out a stuttering breath, clutching his chest in an effort to calm his racing heart. Baekhyun grabbed Sehun’s wrist gently, pulling him towards the seating area.“Sit down, love, no need to die over such a short ride.”

Sehun leaned against Baekhyun who gently led him to sit on the armchair Yifan had vacated hours prior. Sehun tried to not let it bother him. But as the memories and embarrassment crept in, mixing with the nausea, it became increasingly harder to stay aloof.

Baekhyun’s eyes caught on the tea set on the table. “Hm. Would you want some tea?”

Sehun lifted his gaze and nodded, fidgeting with his fingers. Baekhyun gave a small grin, grabbing the tea set from the table.

“I will be back shortly, love,” Baekhyun promised and flitted out of the room, the double doors swaying gently. Sehun opened his mouth to answer, but by then Baekhyun was long gone. 

The room was eerily quiet without anyone in the room, aside from himself. Not that vampires made much sound, but he rarely went to bed alone. Usually, several servants would be bustling around in his room, preparing his bed, his nighttime tea, his outfit for the next day. Now the room was void of all that, and Sehun was exhausted.

However, the bed had been made to a meticulous standard, the curtains drawn over the windows, even the tea set Baekhyun took prepared for the night. Sehun took a deep breath and deflated into the armchair, feeling all of the strength drain from his limbs.

He had not realized how tense he had been the whole meal.

His head leaning into the chair, Sehun dozed off for a minute before Baekhyun was back, pushing a small cart. Startling awake, Sehun swayed in place, hands clenched into the arm rests.

“Did I startle you?”

Sehun shook his head and blinked a couple times before he pushed himself up to his full height. He placed his hands on his lap and closed his eyes, just focusing on his breath as Baekhyun prepared the table. 

Behind half-lidded eyes, Sehun watched as Baekhyun poured the tea, staring at the curls of steam rising from the pot and swirling towards the ceiling. “You seem unwell,” Baekhyun said and placed the pot down.

Sehun opened his eyes fully, taking a deep breath. “How so?” he asked, but even his voice sounded weak.

“I get… nauseous when there’s a lot of vampires. And my heart starts racing,” Sehun said, clutching his chest in an effort to keep it down.

“Are you alright, love?”

Sehun nodded, letting his head thunk against the chair. His limbs would not be moving in a while. Sehun smiled. Such sweetness. “Just tired…”

Baekhyun gave Sehun his cup, waiting until he surely had a good grip before letting go. Sehun thanked him and brought the saucer close to his chest. He watched as Baekhyun poured himself another cup, reclining on the armchair properly.

“How do you feel?” Baekhyun asked, bringing the cup to his lips, eyebrows lifted. 

About what? Sehun bit his lip and looked away. “Do you mean…?” Sehun asked, gesturing towards the door and the space between them.

“Everything, yes.”

Sehun brought his gaze to Baekhyun, trying to gain some form of reassurance. Baekhyun nodded encouragingly, gesturing him to start. Taking a deep breath, Sehun let himself relax. “I… It has been strange. Very strange. The whole mansion… the routines, I no longer have those? But it feels… nice to have people who talk to me.”

Baekhyun’s face split into a grin. “That is good to hear. Your existence was kept well, no one except Yifan knew before a week ago. Most of us thought an heir had not been produced yet, but we were wrong.”

A question arose in Sehun’s mind, but he kept his lips pressed tightly together. He would be told, if he needed to know.

“And… this place is in the middle of nowhere. We were called on a moment’s notice. We are just as confused as you are, for the most part.”

Sehun grinned, taking a sip. Fresh bergamot burst on his tongue, warmth sliding down his throat. “Except Yifan, I assume?” Sehun said. Here he was, conversing with a vampire without having the need to bolt out of the room.

“Except Yifan,” Baekhyun said behind his cup. Sehun crossed his ankles, his eyes straying away from Baekhyun. They kept drooping shut, his hand too weak to hold the cup up for long periods of time. “Want me to tuck you to bed? A nap would do you good.”

A nap in the middle of the night? He would sleep until morning. Sehun smiled in amusement and took another sip, letting the saucer touch his thigh, the cup now empty. “A nap?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened comically. “Oh. Human sleep. _ Human _ sleep.” He grinned, collecting Sehun’s tea cup, flitting across the room to place it on the tray.

Sehun squinted, head hurting from the sudden, sharp movement. “Sleep. That… that sounds good,” he mumbled when some of the pain receded, pushing himself up, wobbling towards the closet.

“No, no, no, sit down you cannot injure yourself—” Baekhyun said, pushing Sehun back on the armchair. “They would never forgive me if I were to let you crack your head open like an egg.”

Giggling at Baekhyun’s tone, Sehun hugged his knees, the now familiar exhaustion seeping into his limbs. Baekhyun’s hand came behind his neck, a cool thumb pressing into his pulse point. “You really are exhausted.”

Sehun let his eyes droop shut. The same had happened with Yifan, and so far Sehun was not convinced it had not something to do with vampires. “Mm…”

“How will I get you to bed, even?”

Baekhyun talked a lot. Baekhyun talked fast. Sehun could barely keep up with the words that spewed out of his mouth, but that was the exhaustion. Hopefully. “Help me.”

“How?” Baekhyun asked, gently massaging Sehun’s neck.

Sehun’s eyes drooped shut, his head tipping back against Baekhyun’s hand. “Do like Yifan…?”

“What?” Baekhyun cackled, amusement in his voice.

“Yifan… he insisted on changing my clothes,” Sehun whispered, mortified as he realized what he just blurted out.

Baekhyun threw his head back and cackled. “And I asked if you did anything? I think him seeing you, if not naked, at least _ half _ naked, counts as something.”

“No it doesn’t…” Sehun said, flush creeping up his neck. 

Baekhyun whistled low. “Well, Yifan is a prude. I’d be _ all over you _ if your pretty skin was bare in front of me.”

Tilting his head to the side, Sehun bit his lip and looked at Baekhyun. “Is that a good thing?” And that was the exhaustion talking, nothing else. Sehun snapped his mouth shut.

The corner of Baekhyun’s mouth twitched. “Depends if you like kisses or not.”

Heat crawled up Sehun’s neck, burning at his cheeks. He most definitely liked kisses. Sehun closed his eyes, letting himself imagine Baekhyun’s lips pressing kisses on his neck, down to his navel. A shudder ran down his spine.

_ “Oh. _ Someone liked that.”

Sehun whined, covering his face. Vampires made him feel things he was not equipped to handle. The amount of times he had said something embarrassing right after an embarrassing situation was alarming for the time the vampires had been in the manor.

Baekhyun sighed, pulling Sehun’s hands away from his face. “Alright, love, let me get you to bed, then.”

Displaced air alerted Sehun. There was no one to be seen in the room. The closet door was strewn open. Sehun frowned.

“I assume you sleep in these?” Baekhyun asked, waving Sehun’s pyjamas in the doorway.

Sehun hid in his hands, his heart back to pounding a mile a minute. “Y-yeah.”

“If Yifan got to see you naked, I get too. Especially after admitting to _ that,” _ Baekhyun said, holding the shirt in front of him. “Unless you hate me. Then you can tell me to go. But then you won’t get my kisses.”

Sehun whimpered, stuffing his face into a pillow, wheezing in it. Baekhyun was too much, way too much. There was no way Sehun could keep up with him. The only good thing was that Baekhyun started to feel way less intimidating the more he spoke.

When no more of Baekhyun’s monologue was heard, Sehun lifted his head and took a peek at Baekhyun, still standing in the doorway. Baekhyun smirked in victory, appearing beside Sehun with the smirk still on. Sehun whined and stuffed his head back into the pillow.

Unlike it had been with Yifan, Sehun could keep up with Baekhyun’s speed. Yifan had been beside Sehun and across the room the next, with no indication of him ever being anywhere but those two spots. Baekhyun’s form was a blur, but Sehun could keep up. “Why is it that you move slower than Yifan?”

Baekhyun sat on the bed beside Sehun. “You’re observant. It’s a good thing. For now.”

Sehun tilted his head. _ That _ was ominous.

“Yifan is older. The older we get, the less we are bound by the limitations of mortals.”

Pressing his lips together, Sehun stopped himself from prying any further. Silence ensued, Baekhyun looked down at Sehun, hand splaying on his chest, rising and falling along Sehun’s breaths.

“Let’s take this off of you,” Baekhyun said, and the next second Sehun’s shirt was off, folded neatly at the end of the bed.

Too exhausted to even startle, Sehun lay limply on the bed, eyes drooping shut. Baekhyun’s finger came under his chin and tilted it upwards. “Get up, love, I cannot put this on you if you are lying down.”

“I can’t… I can’t get up…”

Baekhyun sighed, but it was so soft Sehun was not sure. 

Urging Sehun back up, Baekhyun put Sehun’s hand in the arm holes of his sleep shirt one at a time. The smooth silk slid up Sehun’s arms, sending shivers down his spine.

“Slip this on, yes, good boy,” Baekhyun praised, fixing Sehun’s collar, “and now you can lie down.”

Sehun did as told, lip tightly clamped between his teeth. Baekhyun took his wrist, making quick work of the cuffs at the speed of a human, yet with such dexterity a human could only aspire to. Repeating the same on the other side, Baekhyun hummed in approval, moving closer to Sehun.

“You have such pretty skin… Do you never even go out in the sun, love?”

Sehun shook his head. He was not allowed to.

“It’s… It looks like a vampire’s,” Baekhyun said, placing his hand on Sehun’s sternum, running his thumb over the skin. “It’s so very pretty…”

Sehun took a deep breath, his chest expanding against the slight pressure of Baekhyun’s hand. It was strangely comforting. 

“Can I take off your pants?”

Pressing his lips together, Sehun took a shuddering breath and nodded. Baekhyun pulled his pants down and pulled Sehun’s socks off along with them. 

“Oh, what do we have here,” Baekhyun cooed as he folded the trousers over his arm and ran a finger along Sehun’s bare thigh. “Such pretty thighs.”

Sehun blushed, his drooping eyes trying to focus on Baekhyun’s quick movements.

“Let’s get these on you,” Baekhyun said, grabbing the silk trousers from the bed, bundling the legs up for Sehun to be able to slip in easily. After Sehun’s legs were clad in silk, Baekhyun tied a pretty bow out of the drawstring of the trousers. “Good night, Sehunnie,” Baekhyun whispered into his ear, and then Sehun was alone.

Sehun sighed. Yet again, he would sleep alone.

—

Cold fingers carded through his hair, twisting into the strands, nails scraping his scalp.

Sehun cracked his eyes open. A few candles scattered across the dark room was enough for Sehun to be able to see a broad form sitting beside him. The form’s head tilted to the side, the hand in his hair pulling back. “Hello.”

Sehun cracked his eyes open and looked at the man. Dark eyes danced across his vision, still heavy from sleep. “What are you doing here.”

The man threw his head back and laughed. “Feisty. I like you. I just thought I shall come to greet you, as I have certain businesses to do and won’t be here when tomorrow comes.”

Sehun mumbled something incoherent and squinted to recognize the vampire beside him. His mind struggled to connect a face and a name to the voice. 

Minseok. 

“Mhm…” Sehun mumbled, closing his eyes and letting himself relax as Minseok petted his head. “Where will you go?” he asked as an afterthought, pulling the covers up to his chin, his eyes barely open.

“You don’t need to know that,” the man whispered, leaning down to kiss Sehun’s forehead. “Good night, love.”

The next second he was gone, and it was like no one had ever been there in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my twitter is [@quavemire](https://twitter.com/quavemire) or if you want to, you can drop me a curiouscat also [@quavemire](https://curiouscat.me/quavemire)
> 
> drop me a kudos and make my day?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeeet  
i'm back  
things are finally starting to happen ehhehe ehhehe  
someone stop me from skipping scenes i'm making writing WAY too hard for mahself
> 
> mild content warning for vomiting and violence, incase anyone is squeamish. 
> 
> enjoy!

Sehun was crudely awoken by a servant opening the thick curtains draped over his windows. A beam of light hit him square in the face, the dust particles in the air, dancing with the breeze. “Good morning, Your Highness.”

Sehun rolled onto his back, taking deep breaths, one at a time. Dust particles danced across his vision, floating in the air.

“What time is it?” Sehun asked with a yawn, struggling to keep his eyes open. Chuckling low in his throat, he realized he had gotten too used to the nights, the dim candlelight, that the bright sun felt like torture. With the vampires in the mansion, he could be sure that his time spent in the dark would grow.

Sehun blinked, staring at the ceiling. Vampires. The manor was filled with vampires. If the sun was rising, they would mostly be resting in the basement, but he still ran a risk of bumping into them. The corridors were dark enough for them to be able to dwell in, even in daylight. He should have guessed that the manor was built for vampires originally. It made sense.

It took surprisingly little time for Sehun to get used to change, adapt. There were things that were easier, like their presence, Yixing’s smiles, Baekhyun’s teasing. The harder things… Sehun frowned, not letting his thoughts go there. It would only end in him starting the day feeling inadequate.

The servant bowed, hands clasped behind his back. It strained the buttons of the black vest he wore, the sunlight bouncing off the silk. “Ten o’clock, Your Highness. The sun has just begun to rise. Your meal has been prepared in the smaller dining hall.”

Sehun nodded. Getting up did not sound good. “I will be out soon,” Sehun mumbled, turning sides. He blinked a few times, a throbbing pain shooting up his back. “On another thought, could someone bring my meal over? I don’t feel like walking to the hall,” he yawned, craning his neck just enough to see the servant out of the corner of his eye.

He bowed, hands clasped in front of his body. “Yes, Your Highness.” 

Sehun smiled a little, rolling around until the covers were tightly wrapped around him, the heat of his body safely tucked inside. Footsteps headed out, soft on the carpeted floors, the doors creaking shut. Sehun did not bother to look after him.

He would be woken up when the breakfast came anyways, so he could very well just take a nap for the few short minutes it took for the servants to bring it over. 

Or he could have, if there was not someone on his bed, the mattress dipping to the side. Sehun frowned, turning his head towards the offending individual. “Baekhyun?”

“And me!” Yixing chirped, from the other side, seated on the bed. Sehun whipped his head around. Indeed, Yixing was there also, perched on the edge of his bed and smiling like an idiot, the dimple melting Sehun inside a bit.

Sehun hid his smile and yawned. “Isn’t it late for you?” he asked, shuffling deeper into the covers. He did not want to deal with this at his early of an hour. He was too tired, and too hungry.

Baekhyun carded his fingers through Sehun’s hair, twisting the strands, tugging on them gently. “We were just about to go… But we wanted to say hello.”

Sehun let himself be a little pleased about the attention. He would always like people paying attention to him. 

“Good morning, Sehunnie,” Yixing hummed, tucking the edge of the comforter under Sehun, further cocooning him in. 

“Good morning…” Sehun muttered, eyelids drooping shut involuntarily.

“Didn’t you sleep well?” Baekhyun cooed, stroking his knuckle over Sehun’s cheek. Shaking his head, Sehun curled up inside the covers and kept his eyes shut, pressing into Baekhyun’s touch only the slightest bit.

“Poor baby. Junmyeon, dear,” Yixing said, doing a quick motion with his hand. Sehun realized there was one more person in the room. “The curtains, could you close them?”

Sehun craned his neck back when Junmyeon’s soft steps heard through the room. Darkness enveloped the room once more, the edges of the vampire’s silhouette fading into dark. Sehun licked his lips, a bubble of nausea slowly rising from his stomach up. 

The bed dipped, a fourth person climbing on it. Sehun clenched his hands into fists, his chest tightening as the nausea got worse.

Three pairs of eyes stared at Sehun intensely, almost uncomfortably so. Sehun squirmed, wanting to hide under the covers.

“Are you alright?” Baekhyun asked, petting Sehun’s side through the covers.

“Mmm…” Sehun hummed, not convincing at all.

Another hand landed on Sehun’s shoulder, Yixing’s kind eyes glittering in the candlelight. Sehun let himself smile, sinking into the mattress. He locked gazes with him, the tight feeling in his chest slowly melting, replaced by Yixing’s familiar warmth.

Sehun’s lips parted and a soft sigh escaped. The only thing to be heard in the room was his own breathing, the three vampires lacking ones of their own.

“It smells like a vampire in here,” Junmyeon said, a frown embedded in his handsome face.

Propping himself up better against the headboard, Sehun yawned and looked at Junmyeon for a second before diverting his gaze. “Minseok came here last night.”

Yixing smiled and tugged on a wayward strand of Sehun’s hair gently. “Did he now?” he hummed, pushing the strand behind Sehun’s ear. “You have been sleeping awfully lot for a human. Is it because of us?”

Junmyeon made a quiet sound at being dismissed. Sehun stopped himself from looking over and just focused his attention on Yixing’s brown eyes. 

Closing his eyes, Sehun took a toll on the state of his body. A small, quiet ache in his back made itself known, but the feeling most prominent was exhaustion, his limbs weighing as if made of lead. He had also been sleeping more than usual, but it could also be because the servants awoke him later than usual. The sky was always dark when he ate breakfast. “I… I think so.”

“Mhm. Poor thing is so very afraid that it exhausts him,” Baekhyun cooed, but it had an undertone of mock. Sehun frowned and curled up into himself, trying to only focus on Yixing’s fingers carding through his hair slowly, twisting the strands. He was afraid, but not of Yixing. It was dumb, yes, but whatever normalcy he could cling onto, he would.

“Shut it, Baekhyun,” Yixing said, not taking his eyes off of Sehun. It made a pleasant tingle go down Sehun’s spine.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and patted Sehun’s thigh through the duvet, smiling softly. “I am just teasing him, Yixing. Sorry, Sehun dear.”

Yixing sighed, a gentle wave of air hitting Sehun’s face. It made Yixing seem that much more human.

“You don’t know how humans feel when they are close to us,” Yixing said quietly. Somehow it was more threatening than if he had yelled. A horrid chill ran through Sehun, the nausea raising its ugly head. Baekhyun rolled his eyes and leaned closer to Yixing, as if challenging him.

“I need to get ready for breakfast,” Sehun said, pushing himself up, breaking the tension between the vampires. The duvet fell down to his lap, exposing his torso to the chilly air. It always got cold during the night. 

Baekhyun flinched and pulled back, straightening his posture.

“Do you need help, Sehunnie?” Yixing asked, promptly ignoring Baekhyun. He let his hand trail down Sehun’s arm, stopping at the crook of his arm. Sehun’s pulse beat against it, elevated but not racing.

“No need to,” Sehun said quietly, his voice betraying him. He cleared his throat, pressing his hand against his sternum.

Yixing smiled, squeezing Sehun’s arm gently. “Do you want help?”

Sehun shook his head.

“Do you  _ want _ help?” Yixing asked again, leaning forwards, a puff of cold air hitting Sehun on the shoulder. Sehun bit on his lip. After a moment of silence he nodded, wrapping his hand around Yixing’s thin wrist. The skin was cold to the touch, porcelain smooth. “Good.”

Baekhyun scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Saps,” he said and gagged mockingly, leaning back on his arms. “Junmyeon, why are you so sour?”

Junmyeon glared at Baekhyun and pushed himself up from the bed, inspecting the haphazard pile of novels on Sehun’s mahogany night stand. Sehun swallowed down a nervous lump, turning his eyes away. 

Yixing led Sehun to the vanity, seating him down in front of it and grabbing a soft towel, wetting it in the basin. Sehun turned his eyes away from the other vampires, staring at the buttons of Yixing’s shirt. The towel swiped across Sehun’s face and neck, dipping into his collar, behind his ears, leaving shivers in its wake.

Sehun let his eyes droop shut as Yixing applied cream on his face and carded his fingers through Sehun’s hair to get rid of some of the frizz and knots. There were eyes on him, but with Yixing’s soothing presence, he could not bring himself to mind.

“You probably want to change alone,” Yixing said softly. If the others in the room were not vampires, they would have not heard it, that’s how quiet his voice was. Sehun’s fingers clenched into the stool below him, the pattern of the fabric pressing indentations into his skin.

At Baekhyun’s teasing smirk, Sehun nodded and got up, hoping that his face was not beet red. 

Walking into the closet alone, Sehun took a deep breath. The sweet scent of vampires was not as prevalent there, a thing Sehun only noticed when the scent was not permeating his nose anymore.

His hands shaky, Sehun undid the buttons of his pyjamas, scouring the room for something appropriate to wear. Clamping his teeth around his lower lip, Sehun blew air through his nose. A soft cashmere sweater and trousers would do. Silk would be an option if the vampires did not make him perpetually cold with their presence.

Sehun took his time dressing up, only prolonging the inevitable. Before heading out, Sehun looked at himself in the mirror. He was paler than usual, the grey wool of his shirt washing him out even further. 

As Sehun emerged from the closet, three knocks sounded from the door, the double doors opening with a creak. A servant bowed and pushed in a cart with a serving bowl perched on top. Sehun closed the door behind himself and walked to the coffee table, having to pass the vampires, Yixing leaning into the vanity, Baekhyn sitting on his bed with Junmyeon beside him.

Pushing the oncoming nausea to the back of his mind, Sehun sat down on the edge of the chair and crossed his hands on his lap. He swallowed and pressed his knees together, looking down at his hands as the servant set his meal on the low table.

As per usual, the servant did not say a word, just set down Sehun’s meal and retreated out of the room with a curt bow.

The vampires looked at each other.

Sehun frowned. The tension in their shoulders was visible from afar. “What’s wrong?” 

Yixing smiled that one warm smile of his that always preceded the soothing warmth of his ability. Sehun closed his eyes and let it wash over him. 

When he opened his eyes, Yixing’s smile was apologetic. Sehun tilted his head in question, and his eyes followed Yixing’s to Junmyeon, still stood by Baekhyun.

“The sun is rising above the treeline. We must go,” Junmyeon said, placing a hand over Baekhyun’s shoulder. Sehun studied his face, the solemn set in his brow, his downturned lips. He was frankly a handsome man.

“We must go, indeed,” Baekhyun sighed, turning to Sehun. “We will be taking our leave. Enjoy your… day.”

Sehun smiled softly and nodded.

“Goodbye, Sehun,” Yixing whispered and pressed a kiss on Sehun’s temple, then flitted out the room after the other vampires. The heavy double doors clicked shut, leaving Sehun alone in his thoughts.

Sehun picked up his spoon and sighed in defeat, am embarrassed flush creeping on his cheeks.

It would be a long, long day.

—

Sehun descended down the stairs barefoot, hand gliding along the wooden rail. The sun was high in the sky, but the windows of the mansion were not placed its way. Sehun chuckled, wondering how he had not realized how every single aspect of the mansion was made to accommodate vampires.

Skipping the last step of the stairs, Sehun grabbed the rail and swung himself towards the kitchens. 

“Hello, Sehun.”

Sehun caught himself before he could fall flat on his face on the carpet. He turned around, met by Jongdae’s smiling face. “Hello,” Sehun said breathily, barely avoiding a stutter. His hand clenched into a fist, pinpricks of pain shooting up his arm as his nails dug into his skin.

He could swear no one was near the stairs just a moment ago. Sehun bit his lip. He should stop expecting vampires to behave like humans.

“Where are you headed to?” Jongdae asked, leaning against the wall. His shirt stretched taut over his chest, hugging his shoulders. Sehun swallowed, crossing his arms over his torso. 

“To grab myself a cup of tea from the kitchens.” Something akin to quilt welled in his throat. He felt as if Jongdae had caught him doing something forbidden, 

Jongdae grinned and walked closer, grabbing the hem of Sehun’s sweater, bringing it up to his nose. Sehun squeaked, stepping back, but Jongdae did not let go. “You had quests, yes?” 

“Y-yes?”

“Cute. Too bad they did not invite me.” Jongdae sighed and let Sehun’s sweater go. “Have a good day, dearest,” he said and flitted away, the back of his hand brushing against Sehun’s, sending sparks up his arm.

Breath caught in his throat, Sehun’s back collided with the wooden hallway, his need for tea long forgotten.

If he had a heart attack every time he met a vampire, how would he be able to stay alive for the foreseeable future?

—

A cup of tea on a saucer in hand, Sehun climbed up the stairs from the kitchen, not quite as shaken up from the encounter as he was minutes ago. He had been jittery the whole time he waited for his tea to brew. 

The sweet scent of vanilla and pears wafted into his nose with the steam rising from the cup. Sehun turned the cup on the saucer, cringing at the little creak the porcelain made.

The kitchens were in the first floor, tucked away from sight, but with easy access to every place of the mansion. It was convenient for whoever resided in the place. Though, vampires would not have much use for a kitchen. 

Before, it had just been Sehun alone. If he was being honest, he kind of liked having company, vampire or not.

Sehun climbed a flight of stairs, heading for the East wing staircase, walking slow and steady to not spill the tea. He reached the staircase, switching the hand he was holding the saucer with as he took a couple steps up the stairs.

A loud thump from the library had Sehun diverting his course, stepping down the stairs and heading for the ajar doors, keeping his steps light. 

Sehun tilted his head. Another loud thump came through the doors. He peeked in, and immediately wished he would not have.

In the corner of the room, Jongin writhed in Kyungsoo’s grip, feet kicking the air. Kyungsoo’s fist collided with the side of his face, blood dripping down onto Kyungsoo’s hand strangling him. Sehun squeaked, slapping a hand over his mouth. 

Jongin crumbled on the floor. Sehun registered blurry movement coming towards him, too fast to run away from.

Kyungsoo’s face came within inches of his own. Jongin was a heap of bloodied skin and clothes in the corner, tossed aside. Sehun froze in place. 

“Love?”

Sehun’s lower lip trembled, his hand scrabbling for purchase on the doorframe. “Yes?”

“Do as I say, alright? Nod, love,” Kyungsoo said, a bloodied hand coming to cradle Sehun’s chin, his deep eyes boring into Sehun’s. “You will go to your quarters and not remember any of this, alright? You did not see anything. You never peeked in, you headed straight up the stairs.”

Sehun found himself nodding and turning around, his feet taking him up a flight of stairs, across the hallway, his tea trembling in his hand.

Entering his room and placing the saucer on the coffee table, Sehun tilted his head, feeling disoriented. He slumped down on the chair and blew all the air out of his lungs. Something in his torso protested, nausea welling up in his throat.

Sehun shot up from the armchair, running towards the washroom with his hand firmly clasped over his mouth.

He found himself emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet bowl, heaving over it and gripping the edges of the porcelain, knuckles turned white. 

Sehun threw up until the only thing coming out was bitter foam.

Collapsing against the wall, Sehun wiped his mouth, hands shaky. He tried reaching for the lever but only got midway before his hand slumped down, unable to reach it. His head thunked against the tile painfully, the nausea not subsiding.

“Fuck.”

A gentle knock sounded from the door. “Can I come in?” Minseok asked, the sound muddled through the door. Sehun did not remember closing the door after himself.

“Y-yes,” Sehun said, voice hoarse.

Minseok stepped in accompanied by creaking washroom door, a tall glass of water in hand. “Poor thing,” he hummed and kneeled before Sehun. “Sehun, my dear, drink,” Minseok said, bringing the glass of water in front of Sehun’s face.

Sehun took it gratefully, cradling it in his hands.

Minseok reached over, pressing the lever of the flush, dropping the lid down. “Are you feeling any better?” he asked, 

Sehun shook his head.

“It helps if you touch.”

Sehun looked up at Minseok, letting the cup lean against his thigh, scared that he would spill it. “What do you mean?”

“The nausea gets better once you are in direct contact with a vampire.”

Sehun frowned. “Really?”

Minseok nodded and sat beside Sehun, much more graceful than he had. Pulling Sehun close, Minseok wrapped his arms around his middle, fingers carding through Sehun’s hair. “It is a… feeding thing. Once a vampire has a hold on a human, there is no way for them to escape.”

It should have worried Sehun, hearing that from a vampire hugging him to his chest, but as the nausea bled out of him he could appreciate the sentiment. After all, it would only be sensible, for the feeding was rarely unpleasant for the human.

Sehun let himself lean against Minseok’s sturdy frame, his forearms keeping him upright. For some reason, all of the vampires were just that, sturdy, even if they were rather slim. Minseok was one of the broader ones, and it could be that the slimmer ones were not quite as solid.

The nausea was barely there anymore. Sehun let out a sigh of relief.

Minseok was still the vampire, along with Yixing, that Sehun felt the most comfortable with. Neither of them made any sudden movements when in close proximity, and their banter… Was unlike the most.

Sehun winced.

“What is wrong, my dear?

“My head aches… It hurts so bad,” Sehun mumbled, pressing the heels of his palms into his eye sockets. The pressure did not help it the slightest.

“Look at me, my dear,” Minseok said quietly, turning Sehun’s head. Sehun nodded and looked straight into Minseok’s eye, hand clutching the vampire’s thigh.

Minseok’s handsome face settled into a deep frown.

“Fucking Kyungsoo.”

Sehun flinched, wanting to ask what was wrong, but he was alone in the washroom, a stream of air coming in through the ajar double doors of Sehun’s room.

Sehun stumbled after Minseok, nearly falling flat on his face as the nausea lifted its ugly head. The doors were strewn wide open, but no vampire was in sight.

Sehun stopped by them, already panting.

Kyungsoo. Sehun thought of it, and an image of the library flashed behind his eyelids. He raced down a flight of stairs, running across a carpeted hallway into the library, panting from the exertion.

Jongin was a bloodied mess in the corner, sobbing softly, while Minseok held Kyungsoo by his collar, hissing something close to his face, too low for Sehun to hear.

Sehun gasped.

Three pairs of eyes turned to stare at Sehun, two filled with anger, one wet with tears. Sehun took three steps back, bumping against the door, the bolt clicking shut. 

“You should not have followed me,” Minseok said, letting go of Kyungsoo’s collar. His voice was low, threatening in a way Sehun had never heard it before.

“I’m sorry,” he stuttered, ready to bolt out of the room in case something happened. Then he remembered running would not help him and panic settled into his gut. 

“This is your fault, Minseok,” Kyungsoo said, his voice even lower than Minseok’s. He flashed the other vampire a threatening glare. “Do not meddle in my business next time.”

Minseok froze. Sehun scrambled for the door knob, but Kyungsoo’s velvety voice interrupted him.

“Come here, Sehun, love.”

Sehun felt his hand move away from the knob, hanging at his side, his feet taking him towards Kyungsoo one step at a time. His face fell slack, and no matter how hard he tried to scramble back, his feet kept moving forth.

“I am so sorry, love,” Kyungsoo hummed, cupping his cheek, thumb running over Sehun’s lips. “It will feel unpleasant, but after it’s over, you won’t remember any of this. You do want that, yes, love?”

Images of a bloodied Jongin flashed in Sehun’s mind, then Minseok holding Kyungsoo by the collar. Sehun clamped his teeth around his lower lip and nodded.

“No, Kyungsoo,” Minseok said, the threat imminent in his voice.

“Quiet.”

Minseok clamped his mouth shut, but it looked forced. Sehun would be alarmed unless Kyungsoo was not stepping right up close to him, his bloodied hand cradling Sehun’s cheek. “Look at me, love.”

Sehun met Kyungsoo’s eyes, and something akin to Yixing’s influence sept into him. A small smile crept on his lips as his limbs began to feel mellow, his racing thoughts finally calming down.

The doors slammed open, a furious Yifan entering the room. “Hands off him.”

Kyungsoo let go of Sehun, taking a step back.

“You cannot interfere with his mind, Kyungsoo.”

“Is it a fair playground, Yifan? If he sees me doing what is necessary, what I must do, without knowing why, with him fearing me, is that fair?” Kyungsoo asked, his voice growing agitated. “We all should have a chance of drinking royal blood.”

Sehun flinched, still frozen in place. It hurt to be regarded as just blood. He shook his head, Kyungsoo’s influence still weighing down his arms and legs.

Words could not describe the hatred present on Yifan’s face.

“If he does not know why, then your duty is to explain, not erase. It is only a fair competition when dirty tricks are not being used, Kyungsoo. Get someone to feed Jongin, he has lost too much blood,” Yifan said and gestured at Jongin, still bloodied and barely moving. 

Then he grabbed Sehun’s shoulder firmly and dragged him out of the room, striding across the hallway and up the stairs before Sehun could object. He thought he should be glad about the fact he did not just pick him up and run, which would have ended in a catastrophe. The nausea was overbearing, and it took all of his willpower not to hunch over and heave the insides of his stomach out.

“Yifan!”

Yifan whipped his head back, still striding forth and dragging Sehun with him, but Yixing’s sharp voice had him easing his pace off just a little.

“Yixing.”

Sehun reeled on his feet, thankful for the pause. His limbs still felt like jelly.

“What happened?” Yixing asked, by Sehun’s side the next second, cupping his cheek carefully. His thumb stroked across his cheekbone as his eyes stared into Sehun’s wet ones. “Are you alright?”

Sehun sniffled quietly and shook his head. Yifan urged him to step forth, but Yixing stopped him with a stern look.

“What happened?”

Sehun opened his mouth to speak, but could not get out a sound. Yixing’s brow furrowed and he stepped closer, wrapping his hand around Sehun’s arm. 

“It’s alright, Sehun, you will be fine,” Yixing muttered and stared deep into Sehun’s eyes. Comforting warmth bloomed through Sehun, slowly taking all of the tremors away. Sehun swallowed dryly, dropping his gaze down. 

“I do not know of the circumstances, but I caught Kyungsoo trying to erase Sehun’s memory.”

Bringing a hand to his face, Sehun tried to wipe away his tears. It did him no good, and only aggravated his eyes further.

“Oh dear. Could you tell me what happened, Sehun?” Yixing asked sweetly, his influence taking some of the nausea away.

“I… don’t remember?” 

Yifan’s face set in a frown. Sehun closed his eyes and whined in his throat, unstable on his feet. “What do you remember?” Yifan asked.

“I only remember stumbling into my room and… and throwing up. I think,” he said, curling his toes into the carpet. Yifan’s grip on his shoulder loosened, his large hand coming to rest on his back, between his shoulder blades. “Minseok came into my room. Helped me. Then he sprinted out and I followed and then—”

Sehun toppled over, caught by Yixing’s strong arms. “There was a flash of blood, Kyungsoo, the library, and I headed there—”

Hiding in his hands, Sehun whined, a sob wracking through his body.

“Shush, shush, it’s enough, you do not need to think about it anymore,” Yixing said and pet Sehun’s back. His eyes flickered to Yifan for a moment. There seemed to be some sort of a mutual understanding between them. 

Yifan nodded.

Yixing did not elaborate, but his expression hardened. “Let’s take him to his room.”

Yifan seemed to agree, hoisting Sehun up onto his arms without saying anything. Sehun, too weak to protest, leaned into Yifan’s shoulder, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes. Everything hurt,  _ ached. _ Sehun did not have a word for the things he felt.

Yifan kept his stride even and slow, Yixing walking right beside him, almost close enough for Sehun’s hair to touch his arm. 

Yixing was the one to open the doors to his room, letting Yifan inside before closing them, not latching them shut.

Instead of the armchairs, Yifan set him on his bed against the headboard, but close to the edge. Yixing remained in the shadows, but some of his influence was constantly rolling across the room. Sehun gave a weak smile and hugged himself.

Yixing grabbed the piece of cloth and dipped it in the basin, walking over to Sehun. “Let me clean your face,” he hummed, bringing it up to his face.

Sehun closed his eyes, Yixing’s hand coming behind his neck to support his head as he swiped the rag across Sehun’s eyes, cheeks, and forehead, being exceptionally gentle with it.

“It is going to be alright. You will feel better soon,” Yifan promised. Yifan had sat down at the armchairs at some point, smiling warmly at Sehun.

Sehun smiled, thankful, but Yixing’s reaction was not as positive.

“Like  _ you _ knew anything of human emotion,” Yixing spat and tossed the wet rag aside, standing up to his full height. “It’s been three hundred years, three full centuries, and you are still the exact same as you were when you turned me.”

Yifan chuckled, but it was not from amusement. It was bitter, sad even. “And you are still angry at me for it, after all these years?” he murmured quietly.

“Yes!”

Sehun flinched, pressing harder against the headboard. 

“Would you want to… end your life, then?” Yifan said with the same quiet tone. Sehun let a sound of alarm, looking at Yixing. His brow was furrowed, his larynx bobbing as he swallowed. Yixing shook his head. Something akin to relief spread down Sehun’s torso, replaced with unease.

Yifan exhaled loud enough for Sehun to hear. “Then why do you still hate me?”

Sehun pressed his lips together. The moment was too intimate, he should be somewhere else. What they were discussing did not belong to Sehun.

“You did not give me a choice. So give Sehun one.” Turning to Sehun, Yixing reached forth and pushed a wayward strand of hair behind his ear. His lips parted, Yixing took one last look at Yifan. “I beg you.”

Sehun closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, Yixing was not there anymore. Only Yifan remained, seated on the same armchair as before, hand slightly raised from the rest, clutched in a tight fist, as if to stop it from reaching out to the ajar doors.

Silence enveloped them, the air too heavy to be broken with the sound of words.

A moment passed in which neither of them looked at each other.

“Yifan,” Sehun said carefully, breath caught in his throat. “What… what was that?”

Yifan’s smile was forced. “Nothing,” he muttered and stood, grabbing the rag Yixing had strewn on the coffee table. “Do you want me to bring you anything?”

Sehun shook his head. “Tell me, what was that, please.”

Yifan sighed in defeat and sat back down on the armchair, this time perched at the very edge. “I am Yixing’s maker,” he said, only looking at Sehun in the eye before turning his eyes back down. He leaned on his knees, strands of hair falling to cover his face. “He was not willing. He resents me for it.”

Nodding, Sehun squeezed his hands between his thighs, staring at the floor. He imagined being turned unwillingly, teeth sinking into his neck. A shiver ran down his spine. He could not be sure if it was one of terror or arousal.

Sehun glanced at Yifan, whose face was solemn, like a stone. There had been regret in his voice. Sehun wanted to pry, ask questions, but he could not bring himself to open his mouth.

After that, there was silence. Yifan was the first to break it. “I am sorry that you had to see that, all of that, Sehun.”

“It’s fine,” Sehun said, but his voice was weak. He did not quite convince even himself.

“It is not.”

Sehun glanced at Yifan. 

The armchair was empty, the doors of his room shut. Yifan had left. Dropping his head in his hands, Sehun held in his tears. He no longer knew what to think, who to trust.

What had started it all, the tea on the table, stood cold on the mahogany, as if nothing had happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come yell at me on twitter [@quavemire](https://twitter.com/quavemire) or curiouscat also [@quavemire](https://curiouscat.me/quavemire).   
twitter will give you sneak peeks into future chapters and the chance to talk to me one-on-one, mi dm's are open for anyone uwu
> 
> and uh. my updating schedule is wack and i apologize. 
> 
> kudos and comments make me and my cat very happy. wink wonk.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have nothing to say for myself lmao IM SORRY IM JUST EXECUTIVELY DYSFUNCTIONAL
> 
> cws for this chapter include vomiting (thats gonna happen a lot for these first chapters...) and minorly questionable vampire-esque harassment. very mild. don't worry.

The book in his hands was open, but Sehun could not see the words on the page.

He wasn’t able to focus on reading, flashes of a fragmented memory invading his mind. Sehun didn’t know vampires could wipe his memory like that. Blood. There had been blood, and a lot of it. And Jongin, Kyungsoo standing in the doorway. After that, he had no recollection of how he got back into his room.

The tension between Yifan and Kyungsoo was thick. Sehun was intrigued. So far, no one had defied Yifan. Sehun didn’t know what to make of it.

With a heavy sigh, Sehun pushed the book off his lap and curled into a little ball under the duvet. A pang of hunger hit him in the stomach. He regretted skipping his meal. It would not be long before dinner was served. It had fallen dark again.

The four hours of sunlight the manor saw in a day had gone by in a flash, or what remained of them after Yifan carried him to his quarters. Sehun had barely even noticed the light streaming through the windows, too busy mulling over the situation.

A gentle knock sounded from the door.

_ “Can I come in, Sehun?” _

“Y-yeah,” Sehun said, pushing himself up from his curled position. He tugged the duvet to cover his legs and leaned against the headboard. “Hello, Yixing.”

Yixing smiled and closed the door behind him. He walked across the room, human speed, eyes fixed on Sehun. The room filled with a comforting aura, leaving Sehun at ease.

Sometimes Sehun forgot that Yixing was a vampire. 

Sehun would not hold such a grudge for Yifan’s decision, if he was in Yixing’s position. But Sehun never had a life normal humans had, void of everything but books and solemn servants. He didn’t know what Yixing had had to leave behind.

The bed dipped, another person’s weight tilting the mattress. Yixing remained silent for a moment, gaze directed away from Sehun. Yixing pressed his lips together. “I think an apology is due.”

“Why?” Sehun asked, voice breaking.

“I lashed out in front of you. And Yifan.” Yixing looked somewhere far away, composing himself. “I am deeply sorry for that. It is between Yifan and I, you should not have to see it.”

Sehun bit his lip. He didn’t know what to say. “I… It is alright. 

Yixing smiled apologetically, placing his hand on Sehun’s thigh. A wave of calm spread through Sehun. 

“I just… I don’t want anyone to go through what I did.”

Sehun tilted his head to the side. “How so?”

“How much do you know?” Yixing asked after a moment of silence.

“Yifan told me that he turned you unwillingly. And that you resent him for it.” Sehun didn’t see the point in lying, or answering with half-truths. Not like he could lie particularly well.

“That... “ Yixing started, then sighed. “I was dying of an illness, around three hundred years ago. It was incurable, and I was on the brink of death. Yifan found me at the outskirts of the city, abandoned there amidst bodies, waiting for death.”

Sehun pictured it, Yixing, not as perfect, face gaunt and hollow, corpses surrounding his body. He frowned, the image bringing unpleasant feelings with it.

“He was looking for… sustenance, obviously. Just passing through the filthy outskirts, to get into the slums of the city. He was surprised to find anyone there,  _ alive. _ I was, but only barely. He walked over the corpses, standing over me. The most handsome man I had ever seen, I knew he was a vampire immediately.”

Sehun knew the feeling. The first time he saw a vampire, a gorgeous woman treading through the servants’ quarters, looking for a willing feeder, he had been in complete awe.

“He asked me: boy, do you want to live?”

A smile tugged at Sehun’s lip. It didn’t sound like the Yifan he knew.

“I answered honestly. Little did I know he knew no matter he did, I would die. So he turned me. I was too out of it to protest.” Yixing kept a pause and looked at him with a gentle smile. “It was not pleasant. For either of us. After I woke up and realized what I’d become… I resented him. He had to force me to eat.”

Sehun imagined Yixing, newly vitalised, eyes filled with hatred. A human screaming. No, Yifan would not have made Yixing feed off of an unwilling human. 

“He forbade me from killing myself. Did you know that going against a direct order from your creator is difficult?”

Sehun shook his head. That he hadn’t known. Right now, he felt he didn’t know much at all. He’d never been educated in the intrinsicaties of vampirism. Hell, he hadn’t even been told the reason he was being kept in the manor and not in the palace.

“Not impossible, though. Only very difficult.”

Nodding, Sehun crossed his legs, prompting Yixing to continue. Yixing gave a crooked smile and spoke, “So, at one point I tried to kill myself.”

He wondered how a vampire would go about ending their own life. Sehun had a feeling he didn’t want to know the answer. Yet, he opened his mouth. “What did you do?”

“I starved myself, until I frenzied.”

Flinching back, Sehun cast his eyes down apologetically. He felt rather weak.

“Are you feeling ill?”

Sehun nodded, pinching his lips together. Yixing smiled and scooted over, pulling Sehun on his lap. Relief washed over him. Nothing twisted and curled in his stomach, he didn’t have the slightest inclination to run to the bathroom. The corner of Sehun’s mouth curled up.

Yixing leaned in and pressed his lips on Sehun’s jugular, taking a deep breath through his nose. “Your blood smells divine.”

Swallowing, Sehun took a deep breath. He didn’t know how to respond to the strange compliment. Not that he knew how to respond to any compliments.

“What’s so special about my blood, specifically?” Sehun asked, basking in the feeling. Minseok was right, physical contact really made it better. Even though Yixing was so close, sharp teeth ready to pierce through his skin, he felt no fear.

Yixing let his fangs graze over the sensitive skin. “That is a long story.”

Sehun frowned, suppressing a shudder. “I have time.”

Shaking his head, Yixing pressed a kiss on his pulse. “Some other time.”

“Is that a promise?”

“It is.”

Sehun pressed his lips together. He’d have to ask someone else. It was strange that eleven vampires were all after his blood, more or less. Kyungsoo’s words about royal blood had only confused him further. Yixing’s breath on his throat tempted him to tip his head back, let him drink. 

Coincidentally, a servant knocked on the door, entering the room just as Sehun was about to do so. “Your meal has been prepared at the smaller dining hall, Your Highness.”

“Yes…” Sehun mumbled. “I’ll be there.”

“Must you go?”

Sehun nodded and hid a whine when Yixing pulled away. It felt good, natural, to have Yixing close to his neck. 

Yixing moved closer and cupped Sehun’s cheek. “I just want you… Whatever you choose, please consider it carefully. Can you promise me that?”

“I’ll try.”

“That’s all I can ask. Enjoy your meal,” Yixing hummed and flitted out of the room. Sehun leaned in, sinking his head into his hands. Sehun wheezed. He had been left with more questions than answers.

Sehun pushed himself up and stretched. He did not have time for this, with his meal ready downstairs. 

It was eerily silent in the wing, no hurried footsteps of servants, only Sehun’s traveling through the hallways. Vampires made no sound when they moved on floors like this. Sehun tugged his sleeves past his hands, descending down the flight of stairs, headed towards the North wing.

To his surprise, he was not alone in the smaller dining hall. Baekhyun and Jongdae sat by the table, in throes of a conversation spoken in hushed voices. When Sehun stepped into the room, everything quieted, the vampires straightening themselves from their hunched positions.

“We heard what happened. Are you alright?” Baekhyun asked. Sehun bit his lip and nodded. He did not know what else to say.

Jongdae looked at him apologetically and pulled a chair out for Sehun to sit on, right beside him. Holding his breath, Sehun waited for him to say something.

“So. What do you do around here?” Jongdae asked, gesturing around the hall. Sehun sighed in relief, appreciating the change in topic.

“Nothing much. Usually I read. Mostly. There is not much to do here aside from the library,” Sehun said, and sat down, spreading his napkin on his lap. Two pairs of eyes zeroed on him. Sehun hid his embarrassment by taking a delicate sip of water.

Jongdae’s mouth fell open. “You must be so bored all the time.”

Sehun shrugged and placed the glass back down on the table. A servant pushed a cart through the kitchen doorway, swiftly bringing it over. A stew of some sort, the aroma of strong spices wafting from under the lid.

“I’m used to it.”

“Should we take you out of here, Sehun?” Baekhyun asked and sipped his wine. On closer inspection, it looked more like blood than wine. Perhaps a mixture of both?

Sehun thought about it, then shook his head. Mingling amidst humans had never been his forte. The servant set his meal in front of him and disappeared off to somewhere, The dessert was still

Baekhyun pouted, leaning on his arm. His cheek did not squish upwards. “Boring.”

“Yeah. How aren’t you jumping on the opportunity to run?” Jongdae asked, finishing his glass. Sehun did his very best not to look at him and shrugged.

“I haven’t been… out. Very often. I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Jongdae and Baekhyun exchanged conspiratory gazes. Sehun focused on his meal before the nausea could settle in. He already missed Minseok and Yixing’s soothing presence.

Sehun’s spoon froze midway through his mouth.  _ Missed?  _ Shit. Sehun swallowed and ate the spoonful, mulling on the thought. He really did miss Minseok especially.

Was it another vampire thing? Addiction, dependency? 

“Do you want another glass?” Baekhyun asked Jongdae, twirling the bottle in his hands. Sehun was taken out of his thoughts, which he was thankful for. He didn’t want to spend any more time focusing on what this situation meant. He’d enjoy the company, for as long as it lasted.

Until the vampires drained him dry, that was.

Jongdae leaned on his arm, shaking his head. “No thanks.”

“Why not?”

Jongdae scrunched his nose. “It is rather unappealing, with Sehun’s scent around me.”

“Ah,” Baekhyun let out, sniffing the neck of the bottle, then the air. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Sehun did not know what to think. He avoided looking at the duo and brought the spoon to his lips, letting the warm broth slide down his throat. Vampires’ senses were better than a human’s, but Sehun did not know the extent.

To think his own scent, the aroma of his blood, was strong enough to wholly surround Jongdae sitting to his side, over a meter away… 

“I do wonder what royal blood tastes like,” Jongdae said, leaning back on the chair. “I wonder if it really is as big of a deal as they say.”

Baekhyun poured himself another glass of blood wine, grinning ear to ear. “Oh trust me, Sehun is just delightful.”

Sehun bit his lip, heat creeping up his cheeks. He cast his eyes down, not daring to look up at the vampires. Yixing, or Minseok, would have been nice to have there. Around them, the discomfort was the most bearable. He wondered if it ever went away.

Jongdae smacked Baekhyun across the head.

“Have some manners, Baekhyun.”

The vampire in question rolled his eyes. “Not that I’ve gotten a taste or anything.”

Sehun frowned. At this rate he would never get a taste.

Shit.

Looking down at the table, Sehun mulled over the thought. He had gotten used to the situation much faster than he had ever anticipated.

He knew humans were adaptable. But this much? 

The vampires chatted on, but Sehun droned them out. He had a lot to think about.

—

Back in his quarters — after Baekhyun and Jongdae escorted him back, despite his protests — Sehun changed into his loungewear. Standing in the middle of the room, Sehun looked at the bed, then the arm chairs, then the bed again. 

Sehun frowned and headed for the bed, curling up on it and grabbing his book.

Just when Sehun had settled down, there was a sharp knock on the door. “Come on in,” Sehun said, wholly expecting a servant to step inside.

When a wave of utter terror spread through his body, Sehun’s gaze snapped up.

“Kyung— Kyungsoo—”

“Hello, love,” Kyungsoo murmured, beside Sehun on the bed the next second. Pain bloomed in the back of Sehun’s head, his sight blurring.

“Hi,” Sehun said breathlessly. Kyungsoo was the last person he thought would come into his room in the wee hours of the night. Even with the pet names and all. He blinked, trying to get the throbbing pain to end.

Kyungsoo sat beside him and ran his hand up and down Sehun’s back, tilting his head. “They are talking about you.”

Sehun tensed, not expecting physical touch. “Who?” 

“The others.”

“Where?” Sehun asked, looking around as if they were there. Sometimes sound carried from the bedrooms beside his, but they should be empty, white sheets covering the ancient furniture, blinds drawn shut.

Kyungsoo gestured towards the door, somewhat to the side. Sehun’s eyebrows shot up. “Downstairs,” Kyungsoo said, clasping his hands in front of himself. He stood ramrod straight, face solemn without a hint of emotion.

Sehun shut his mouth, trying to comprehend Kyungsoo’s unexpected answer. “Your hearing is that good?”

“Mhm.”

Heat crept up Sehun’s face. He hoped the inevitable blush wouldn’t be so visible in the darkness. There were things Sehun would hope Kyungsoo had not heard. Or Yifan. Sehun pressed his lips together and vowed not to say or do anything embarrassing for the time the vampires were in the mansion.

Kyungsoo reached forth, lighting the candle on Sehun’s night stand, blowing out the match and tucking it back in the box. He turned to Sehun as the light spread across the room, the flame flickering stronger each passing second. “There is something I need to warn you of.”

“What?” Sehun pushed himself up against the headboard, fidgeting with the edge of the duvet and tugging it further.

“I cannot tell you,” Kyungsoo said, sitting back on the edge of the bed. His pale skin gleamed in the candlelight, the flame painting streaks of yellow and red on his face. “Just… I would not leave the mansion.”

Sehun’s lips parted. He wanted to argue, defend himself, but it would not be any use. It was him against a centuries old vampire. It wasn’t much of a match. Even if he screamed, it would take several seconds for any vampire to burst in the room to save him. 

“I… they don’t let me go out.”

Instead of the sympathy Sehun expected, Kyungsoo’s face hardened. “Good.”

A wave of arousal shot through Sehun. He flinched back and clamped his teeth around his lower lip, nails digging into the duvet.

“Are you scared of me, Sehun?”

Sehun shook his head. Not really. Kyungsoo must’ve read his reaction as fear, not arousal. He was wary of him, yes, but not scared. He didn’t think Kyungsoo had any reason to use his power on him.

Kyungsoo’s face remained emotionless.

“I shall keep this between you and me. I hope you do too.” Pressing a chaste kiss on Sehun’s forehead, Kyungsoo whispered, “Good night.”

“G-good night,” Sehun said, but to an empty room. His mouth twitched. Kyungsoo would still hear everything he said. Sehun hid behind his hands, trying to stop the embarrassed whining. Why did Kyungsoo come? Just to make him embarrassed?

“Fuck me…”

A bright flash of pain bloomed behind his eyelids, a vision spreading across his closed eyelids. Kyungsoo, bloodied and gorgeous, calling him  _ dear, _ making his insides twist and turn… 

“Fuck.  _ Fuck.” _

Sehun knew he would not be getting much sleep, so he got up and paced around his room, cursing under his breath. Then he remembered Kyungsoo, and most likely the other vampires too, could hear him.

Whining under his breath, Sehun looked out of the window, gazing up at the stars above. He cleared his throat, the uncomfortable nausea welling up again.

The same vision from before flashed again, and Sehun had to run to the bathroom, vomiting in the toilet bowl. The spicy broth from earlier burned as it came up, making tears spring out of his eyes.

“Fucking hell—”

A cold hand stroked Sehun’s back up and down.

“Are you alright, dear?”

Sehun blinked the tears out of his eyes. Minseok had materialized out of nowhere, petting his back. Deja vu.

Sehun wanted to die of shame.

Junmyeon stood behind Minseok, unmoving and solemn. Sehun swallowed. Out of all the vampires, he had the handsomest face, and he was looking right at him. 

“Go get something for him to eat, Myeon,” Minseok said, all his attention on Sehun, who tried not to preen at the attention, even though he was ashamed of Minseok catching him puking his guts out for the second time.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, I’m way too old to know what humans eat nowadays. Use your imagination.”

Sehun let a slight giggle escape his lips. It was so absurd. Minseok pulled him upright, carefully as if he was porcelain, propping him against his solid body. Junmyeon rolled his eyes and flitted out. 

“Gurgle it, dear,” Minseok said and offered Sehun a glass of water. Sehun had no idea where it had come from but took it gratefully, swishing the bad taste out of his mouth. He spit that in the bowl too, curling up on the floor despite Minseok’s protests. 

“Just let me lie here for a moment…” Sehun mumbled. Minseok sighed but let him, carding his fingers through Sehun’s hair slowly, twisting at the strands. It felt wonderful.

“Let’s hope I will not have to help you puke again, alright dear?”

Sehun chuckled and nodded, his eyes drooping shut. He didn’t want to move.

A pair of leather shoes appeared in the field of his vision. Junmyeon?

“Minseok.”

“Take it to his bed,” Minseok said dismissively, still fawning over Sehun. With a slight smile, Sehun let Minseok manhandle him onto his arms and make him drink another glass of water. “Can you walk, dear?”

Sehun nodded and grabbed the sink to haul himself up, albeit ungracefully. He settled on both his feet and took a deep breath, looking at Minseok’s graceful movements in envy. There didn’t seem to be any disadvantages to vampirism.

“Can you stand?” Minseok asked quietly, stepping closer just in case.

“I think so,” Sehun replied, still holding onto the sink as Junmyeon appeared behind Minseok, a tray of sorts in hand. Oh, how nice would it be to be able to get food from the kitchens in a mere minute.

“He’s going to pass out.”

Minseok shot him an accusatory glance. “How do  _ you _ know that?”

Junmyeon sighed. Sehun’s vision swam, his knees buckling. Could he be right? Was he fainting? Maybe? He felt awfully weak, that was for sure.

“Right now, Minseok.”

“Shit!”

Sehun blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *screams*
> 
> why do i feel like so far its just been sehun Not Feeling Well for four fcken chapters? also this is just plain filler and i'm disappointed in myself but ME WANTS UPDATE
> 
> come talk to me <3  
twitter [@quavemire](https://twitter.com/quavemire)  
curiouscat [@quavemire](https://curiouscat.me/quavemire)  
or tell me about it below :P


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO, IT IS ME, YOUR LEAST FAVORITE VAMPIRE FIC AUTHOR
> 
> wow, look at me updating at like... an acceptable time frame? i deserve a pat on the back
> 
> anyways things arE FINALLY HAPPENING. yeet.
> 
> a little update before i let you go to reading; i have a mywriteclub where you can stalk my progress with this fic, here [@quavemire](https://www.mywriteclub.com/beta/writers/quavemire/goals/sanguis-calor). you'll need an account tho!

The hinges of the doors squeaked.

“Hi.”

Sehun’s eyes flew open. He sprung up, turning his whole torso towards the entrance.

“Did I spook you?” Zitao stage-whispered and poked his head in. He had an adorable grin on his face. Sehun shook his head and winced at the way it made his world spin. He blinked a few times to get the icky feeling out of his eyes. 

Zitao slipped inside and walked to him, human speed. “Good. Are you feeling any better?”

Sehun frowned. He still felt like he had been run over by a bull. But at least he didn’t want to vomit. “I don’t know?” he responded, clearing his throat.

“Yifan-ge told me you should be on bedrest, but,” Zitao said and pointed towards Sehun, scrunching his nose adorably, “I disagree.”

A smile crept on Sehun’s face. The thought of Yifan being so worried gave him a warm feeling in his chest. Sehun mirrored Zitao’s expression and looked away. “Did he?” 

Zitao rolled his eyes. “Yes. Right after chewing Kyungsoo the fuck out for trying to pull yet another trick on you,” he said and shuddered. “Even I felt it. Ew.”

His confusion must’ve shown on his face. Zitao frowned and sat down on the bed. 

“Through the bond, I mean. Kyungsoo is my maker.” Zitao smiled and stared at Sehun’s hair. 

“Oh,” Sehun said. He wanted to cower away, ashamed for some reason. He’d store that information somewhere and think about it when Zitao left. There was _ so much _ he hadn’t been taught about vampires.

“Did Kyungsoo try anything, though?” Zitao asked and tugged at a wayward strand, pushing it back. “Yifan-ge was adamant that he did but…”

Sehun shook his head, but he was unsure. He didn’t feel like there was a gap in his memory, but he had indeed felt weird. “I don’t know?”

Zitao frowned. “Oh well,” he said and shrugged. “I’ve come here to steal you and make Yifan-ge mad. Former being more important.”

“What?”

“Minseok told me it's my turn to spend time with you and I want to show you something cool.” Zitao grinned. Sehun’s eyebrows rose up. They were taking turns? “There’s a nice place I found in the mansion. I’m pretty sure you haven’t been there.”

Sehun became even more dubious. In his boredom he had explored all of the manor, not a nook or cranny remaining unfound. Zitao laughed, probably at his expression. He had a cute laugh. Sehun wanted him to laugh again.

“Do you want to come with me? Or do you still want to rest?”

Looking at Zitao, his own lap, and then Zitao again, Sehun considered his options. Curling up under the duvet and sleeping for an hour or so more was a compelling one. But also, Zitao’s bumbly happiness was… infectious, in a way. He wanted to spend time with him.

Zitao was sitting so close, and Sehun barely felt the nausea.

He’d missed having people to talk to, but he couldn’t help his apprehension. “I want to… but,” Sehun said, looking at Zitao sheepishly, “I feel weak still.”

“Just trust me. I’ll carry you there.” Zitao looked behind himself and then — before he could protest — scooped Sehun up in his arms, tucking his head into his chest. “Close your eyes,” he said and flitted out of the room.

Apparently, the vampires rather enjoyed whisking him away at will. Sehun hated walking, but he didn’t know whether he hated it enough to put up with whatever this was.

Sehun squeezed his eyes shut tightly, fingers clutching the silk of Zitao’s shirt. It felt really nice, like the better shirts he was delivered sometimes. He hadn’t paid much attention to how the vampires dressed. He should have.

Sehun recalled the first night. Yifan had worn silk, too, blue so dark it was almost black. Was it as soft and smooth as the silk of Zitao’s shirt? Yixing’s shirt was cotton, if Sehun remembered correctly. Sehun promised himself he’d pay attention from now on.

Zitao ran across the mansion so smoothly that Sehun barely felt the jolts of his feet touching the ground. It felt like flying. Sehun couldn’t help but smile a little.

Zitao came to a halt, and Sehun felt a strange breeze on his skin, wind piercing through the thin silk of his sleep clothes. He grumbled and opened his eyes. “I could’ve walked,” Sehun started, mostly for show, but then he realized he had no clue where he was.

Sehun blinked in confusion. 

He was high up somewhere, that was for certain. There were trees. Sehun did not recall knowing a place in the manor where he could see the forest without a window in front. 

They were somewhere in the manor, but where?

“I found this place when I was doing my routine rounds around the place. Kind of cool, eh?” Zitao grinned and set him down, holding him up by the shoulders, Sehun appreciated it. He would probably crumble down without Zitao holding him up. His bare feet touched old wood, dust clinging onto the skin.

Sehun looked down and realized where they were. They were up in the tower, in the abandoned part of the manor. It looked like it had once been a balcony of sorts.

“Y-yeah,” Sehun said and gaped at the view. They were way more high up than was necessary. Zitao had been right, he hadn’t been here before. He had explored the abandoned part, but it didn’t have electricity and that scared him. And most doors and windows had been nailed shut.

_ “I just don’t want Baekhyun or Jongdae interrupting us,” _Zitao stage whispered, leaning in conspiratorially. 

Sehun covered his mouth and giggled. Zitao was adorable.

Sehun took three careful steps towards the railing, peeking over it. Zitao kept both his hands on Sehun, thumbs digging into his skin. 

The gardens opened in front of him, washed dark green under the manor’s shadow. They were above the treetops, sharp tips of spruce trees from the edge of the garden to what looked like eternity. 

It was Sehun’s first time seeing the endless forest.

When he’d overheard the servants complaining about how isolated the manor was, Sehun hadn’t believed them. But now he did.

Zitao let go of him and took a few steps back. Sehun hugged himself and just gaped at the green treetops that went on and on. The mountains to the left looked even more grand. Covered in snow, the mountains towered above everything, shrouded in colors of the sky, outlined by blue so dark it was almost black.

Above them, the sky was painted orange and red. Dusk was settling over the manor.

Sehun looked down at his silk sleep clothes, how despite the thinness of the material, he wasn’t cold. Just a little ways to the Northwest, snow covered the land.

It wouldn’t be long before snow fell on the gardens, too.

“Do you like the view?”

“Yeah,” Sehun said, but it came out as a sigh. “To think that just going a few floors up gives you a view like this…”

“Exactly! I don’t understand why you aren’t in the tower bedroom,” Zitao said and sat down. Sehun didn’t pay it much attention, but he agreed. His own view was just mostly the tops of trees, and below, the gardens. Sehun hummed.

He would want his quarters in the tower, but it was simply too battered and old to live in. Even the windows had plywood instead of glass. 

“Sit down,” Zitao said and patted the space beside him. He’d laid down blankets and propped what looked like pillows from one of the studies against the wall. Sehun smiled and sat down on one of them, hugging his knees.

The balcony floor creaked unpleasantly. Sehun made a face.

Zitao pulled a massive tray from the side, and took the three cloches covering the food off. It was… a fancier version of Sehun’s usual breakfast.

“I took these from the kitchens. I know it’s dusk so not very appropriate for a breakfast tray… But you slept through the whole night, and the day.”

“Did I?”

“Soundly. And oh, I knew you’d be cold here so I brought these too,” Zitao said and patted the pile of blankets beside him. Sehun stared at him in awe. Zitao laughed and threw one of the duvets over Sehun’s head.

Sehun giggled and wrestled the duvet off, tucking it on his lap. 

The tray had tea, pastries, a bowl of soup, and a glossy pudding. Sehun’s mouth salivated. There was only one tea cup. Sehun frowned.

“Don’t you have anything for yourself?”

Zitao shook his head. “I only drink blood wine. My… control isn’t good enough to enjoy it with you near me, yet.”

Sehun nodded and shuddered. Zitao was dangerous. He had to remember that.

“Enough about that, eat!” Zitao said and grinned, pouring Sehun a cup. “I wish I could drink some… But I’m still too young to enjoy human beverages.”

Sehun recalled whether his tutor had mentioned anything about it. He’d seen Yifan drinking tea, and Yifan was an old vampire. 

Giving Sehun the cup, Zitao brought the tray closer to Sehun. The smell of soup wafted into Sehun’s nose. Tomato again. Stomach churning, Sehun stared at the tray hungrily. He’d start with the soup after he was done with tea.

Upholding proper etiquette whilst seated on a collapsing balcony was not something Sehun was taught, so he improvised. Zitao wouldn’t mind. Would he?

“What happened when I was asleep?” Sehun asked carefully, cradling the cup close. The tea was green this time, flavored with berries.

“Oh, Yifan-ge was _ so mad _ at Kyungsoo. I haven’t seen him that angry in a while,” Zitao said. “There was a fight. A big one. It would’ve gotten physical if not for Yixing.”

“It only came to a halt when Yixing screamed whether they had considered asking you.”

Sehun tilted his head. Him?

“He said something along the lines of ‘who are you to choose what Sehun wants and doesn’t want to remember?’ And I am inclined to agree,” Zitao said and reached for the tray. “Take a pastry.” Zitao smiled and brought one to Sehun’s lips. It was a wholly unorthodox order to eat, but no one would care.

Thanking him, Sehun grabbed it and bit down, a sweet cream of sorts spilling into his mouth. Sehun moaned in surprise. Zitao looked pleased.

Sehun thought about it. It made sense. Honestly, he did not want to remember even the tiny fragments he did, Jongin on the floor, Kyungsoo, bloodied and scary, right in front of him. Nor did he want to remember the conversations after that.

Grabbing the pastry in his own hands, Sehun curled smaller. “I don’t understand what they are fighting about in the first place.”

Zitao shrugged. “Kyungsoo told me he’d said something… inappropriate, when you followed Minseok. Both Yifan and him are mad at Kyungsoo for it.”

Sehun couldn’t remember anything.

He’d followed Minseok, yes, but whatever was said inside the library was a complete mystery to him. He remembered hearing the vampires talk, but he had no clue what that was. Sehun frowned. The timeline made no sense.

Kyungsoo had visited him… Oh.

“Did Kyungsoo wipe my memory before I fainted?”

Zitao opened his mouth, then closed it, looking sheepish.

“He did,” Sehun accused, staring at Zitao.

After a while, Zitao nodded. “He… was embarrassed.” Zitao threw both his hands up and took a deep breath. “I’m not going to say any more! You’ll have to talk with him. My lips are sealed shut, let’s talk about something else.”

Sehun frowned, wanting to press. “Embarrassed about… what?”

“Talking about you as if you were just your bloo— goddamnit why cannot I keep my mouth shut.”

Breaking into an uncontrollable fit of giggles, Sehun covered his face. He had no clue what Zitao was referring to, but… he’d have to talk with Kyungsoo, one on one. Even if he terrified him to no end.

Zitao laughed too. “Eat your pastry and be quiet,” he grumbled, but the tone was amused.

Sehun pulled the blanket closer to him, curling his toes. To his surprise, he was not cold, yet.

“It’s so quiet here…” Sehun said, sighing in bliss. It would be amazing to read here, curled up in a thick duvet, immersed in a story until it got too dark to read. Zitao hummed and Sehun bit into the pastry, staring at the rapidly darkening sky.

“Crumb,” Zitao said and reached for Sehun’s face, flicking a pastry crumb away. Instead of retreating, Zitao ran his thumb over Sehun’s cheekbone. Shivering, Sehun held himself still, a part of him wanting to pull away, a part to lean in.

Instead of doing either, Sehun turned his head towards Zitao and smiled a little.

“You’re already so pretty… You will become such a beautiful vampire,” Zitao marveled, gaze boring into Sehun’s eyes.

“I will?” Sehun asked quietly. “I’ll be a vampire?”

“Yes? Of course.” Zitao pushed out his lower lip. “You think you’ll choose one and then just… die?”

The half-eaten pastry fell onto Sehun’s lap.

Sehun clasped his hands together to stop them from shaking. He? A vampire? “What do you mean?”

Sehun closed his mouth. Maybe? If his blood was a commodity, he’d most likely be used as a feeder of sorts. Until he died.

Pressing his lips together, Sehun stared into the distance and thought about it. Being kept pretty in one of the vampire mansions, clad in the best and most expensive silk. Sharp teeth in his neck, his blood trickling out, his limbs getting cold and heavy by every passing second…

“I’m going to be turned by one of you? Soon?”

“After a while, yes. Probably not immediately.” Zitao shrugged and tipped his back against the wall, legs spread. “Your blood will be tasty as a vampire too, but I’d like to think whomever you choose wants to enjoy it as a human, too.”

Somehow, that thought didn’t bother Sehun. It was nice to be special. And he got to choose between the vampires. For a moment, he let his thoughts wander, imagining himself on Yixing’s lap, his fangs in his neck, the bliss of Yixing’s presence nullifying any pain that the bite caused…

Sehun shuddered.

“Will it hurt?”

“Feeding or turning?”

“Turning,” Sehun replied, picking the pastry up and inspecting it for damage. No hairs or lint had found it. Sehun put the rest in his mouth and chewed slowly.

Zitao gave him a soft smile, tugging at a wayward strand of Sehun’s hair. “It… it is the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. But it was worth it.”

Sehun nodded, his hands tense, fingers curling into fists. 

“I love how your reaction was to ask if it hurts. You’re not shocked by any of this.”

The corner of Sehun’s mouth twitched. “I’ve… always lived knowing that my own fate was never in my own hands.” It hurt to admit it, but that’s how it was. Since his early days, playing with the servants’ kids, being tended by everyone except his own parents, he hadn’t had much of a choice. He had been thrown away into intensive tutoring at twelve, and that had been his life until he came to live the manor.

Zitao frowned. 

Sehun smiled into his cup. “I think it’s nice that I have a choice.”

Zitao’s frown deepened, and Sehun looked away. Had he said something inappropriate? Hopefully not.

The thought of vampirism was in one way highly appealing. 

“When were you turned?” Sehun asked carefully. He wanted to turn the conversation away from his own thinking, but feared Zitao would not be willing to answer.

Tilting his head to the side, Zitao closed his eyes and counted with his fingers. Sehun would chuckle in amusement if the situation was not so grotesque. “Forty-four years ago. I think.”

Sehun kept his voice quiet and wiped his fingers on the blanket over his legs. “Why?”

“I was dying. Had always been,” Zitao said, eyes glossing over. “Crippled by disease. Famine. I was not the luckiest out of the bunch. For some reason Kyungsoo took pity in me.”

That surprised Sehun. Kyungsoo didn’t seem like the type. “Kyungsoo is your… Sire?” Sehun asked, not sure whether that was the correct term to use.

Zitao nodded. “I was seventeen then, I think. After that, I became healthy. Grew a head taller than him, gained some strength I was never fed well enough to have.” His eyes came back into focus and he placed his hand on Sehun’s thigh. It was warm, a pleasant weight. “When I turned nineteen, he turned me.”

A year older than Sehun was. Biting the inside of his lip, he thought about a young, weak Zitao, Kyungsoo just as solemn and regal, side by side. It made an impressive picture. Sehun imagined Kyungsoo with the current Zitao beside him, tall and strong. That was equally as impressive.

Something was bothering Sehun, though. “Why are you in different clans?”

“Oh. Oh. That’s… complicated. My clan is not quite… a clan.” Zitao grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. “I will tell you at some point. Or someone else will, when you’re turned. It is a sore subject.”

Sehun’s face turned sour. “So you will keep me in the dark until it’s time?”

Zitao sighed in defeat. 

“I did not want to be a part of a clan so I chose… my current clan. It’ll make sense someday,” he said with a straight face and then grinned mischievously. “The faster you choose, the earlier you’ll get to know,” he singsonged, but the joking intent was clear.

“That makes no sense,” Sehun giggled. “Thanks, Zitao.” Sehun smiled and clasped his hands together. He hated to be kept in the dark.

“Eat,” Zitao said and frowned, smooshing the last pastry against Sehun’s lips.

With a giggle, Sehun bit into it and threw his head back in laughter.

—

He’d sat with Zitao until the sun went down, shrouding everything in darkness. Sehun’s feet and fingers had gone purple in the cold, but he had barely noticed it.

It was nice to just sit and talk with someone for hours. Sehun would definitely do it again.

Though, he’d put on some shoes the next time. 

Rubbing the feeling back into his fingers, Sehun shuffled into his closet, steam billowing from the bathroom doorway. The fireplace was lit, but it hadn’t had enough time to warm the bedroom air. Shivering, Sehun dug into his loungewear dresser, pulling out something he could wear first to his one and only meal, and then to meeting the vampires.

He’d decided to face the issue head on and get them to listen to what he had to say. It was unlikely to change anything, but at least he could try.

After all, he had a _ choice _ to make.

Huddled up in a thick pullover, Sehun walked through the room, looking for his book.

Something white on the bed caught his eye.

Sehun frowned and picked it up. The paper was thick and heavy, the highest quality. The bookseller that came every six weeks had paper like that sometimes. It was a note, scribbled in black ink, flowy and beautiful. 

_I am sorry, Sehun.__  
_ _Kyungsoo_

Blinking at it, Sehun sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the looping letters. Strange, so very strange. Kyungsoo had seemed… rather uncaring. It could’ve been a ploy to mend what happened, but Sehun wasn’t good at reading people’s intentions.

Sehun looked at the note in his hands, biting his lip. He didn’t know what to think. 

Oh well. 

He would have to talk to Kyungsoo in person, before he’d talk with the others, but how to find the vampire? He couldn’t exactly just walk downstairs and peek into every room. It could also be that he wasn’t in the manor at all.

Sehun thought about it for a good while, even going as far as to consider calling a servant to look for him.

Vampire hearing. That was it. 

If Sehun called, shouldn’t Kyungsoo be able to hear it? And if not Kyungsoo, then someone else would. Embarrassment niggled at the back of his mind. He did not like to bother people.

He could try?

“Kyungsoo?” he called out, hearkening for footsteps. As if vampires made such a sound. Sehun chuckled to himself and clutched the note tighter. It was so stupid.

Not even five seconds passed before someone knocked on the door, pushing them open.

“Yes, Sehun?” Kyungsoo stepped into the room, looking every bit as regal and poised as a vampire should. Sehun wanted to smile, as he knew Kyungsoo had most likely just dashed to the door, but couldn’t bring himself to.

Sehun took a deep breath. “I… wanted to talk to you,” he said, glancing at the door. If Kyungsoo could hear him, the others would too.

Kyungsoo picked up on it, closing the doors behind him. “Do you wish for the others to not hear this conversation?” Kyungsoo asked. 

Sehun nodded. He wanted to talk to Kyungsoo alone.

“May I carry you?”

As if there was any other option. Sehun nodded and looked at Kyungsoo in the eye, doing his best to suppress the shudder it brought upon him.

Kyungsoo came beside him, gingerly lifting him in his arms. Sehun tucked his face into the crook of his neck and clung on. The note slipped through his fingers. “Close your eyes,” Kyungsoo whispered and took off.

Sehun did that, but not before seeing himself quite literally fly through the window.

Squeaking, Sehun expected glass to shatter around him.

As if a vampire would ever be that tactless. Kyungsoo had just opened the window faster than Sehun could possibly have seen.

It still didn’t mitigate the fact that Sehun’s quarters were on the third floor, and Kyungsoo had just jumped out of the _ window. _

Sehun squeaked and closed his eyes, throwing his hands around Kyungsoo’s neck. Expecting a hard landing, Sehun curled smaller and whined.

It was like stepping down two stairs at a time. An uncomfortable jolt, but nothing unmanageable.

Sehun’s eyes flew open in disbelief. Kyungsoo chuckled inaudibly and took off, weaving through the garden, straight towards the dark trees. Sehun tucked in his toes, hoping that Kyungsoo wouldn’t bang them into a tree trunk.

Closing his eyes again, Sehun clung onto Kyungsoo for dear life.

It was so much worse than Baekhyun’s whisk-away a few nights earlier. At least then he was _ in _the manor and his toes were safe.

Kyungsoo came to a sudden stop, a branch snapping in half. Sehun opened his eyes and shivered, the chilly air digging through the knit.

Kyungsoo set Sehun down carefully, like something fragile.

“I don’t have shoes on,” Sehun squeaked, toes sinking into soft, cold moss. Kyungsoo frowned. 

“Do you want to sit down?”

Sehun shrugged, eyebrows rising up. There was nothing to sit on. His toes curled into the wet moss, spruce needles prickling his skin. He was glad for his foresight to not wear stockings. The thought of wet fabric against his feet was appalling. 

Kyungsoo nodded and pressed his lips together.

He vanished from view, and Sehun was about to yell out loud, until a horrible, deafening crack made him jump.

The crack was followed by sounds of splintering, and Sehun squeaked when the shadow of something tall covered him. The ground beneath him shook.

Sehun jumped in shock, wincing when a needle pricked his skin.

“Apologies, I did not want to run back to the manor to retrieve a chair.”

The nearby spruce was now horizontal, instead of vertical. 

Sehun stared at the trunk, mouth agape.

Kyungsoo had just snapped a tree trunk in half, for Sehun to sit on. Just like that, an old, tall spruce, down on the ground.

“Please sit,” Kyungsoo said and gestured to the lower part of the trunk, that no longer had any branches. Mouth still parted, Sehun took the five steps necessary to reach the trunk — oh lord that had been close — and sat down.

Sehun realized he’d been holding his breath.

Gasping for air, Sehun pulled his feet up and tried to calm his racing heart. Vampire company did not do good for his weak little heart.

The trunk under him was coarse, bark digging into his skin through his trousers. That was better than wet moss, so Sehun shuffled in place and hugged his knees tighter.

Kyungsoo stood a few meters away from him, hands clasped behind his back. A hint of a smile caressed his lips. “Good?”

Sehun nodded, still clutching his chest.

“Before you say anything… May I please explain myself?” Kyungsoo asked.

His voice was low and velvety, quiet. Sehun wouldn’t be able to hear it if he stood any further away.

“S-sure,” Sehun said quickly. He hadn’t even planned anything to say, so he was more than glad Kyungsoo wanted the first turn.

“Vampires… no matter how old, will always behave erratically, when blood is spilled.”

Sehun’s lips were dry. For some reason, he was acutely aware of every sensation his body was feeling. Very odd. He nodded.

“Our primitive urge is blood, so that is the first thought in our minds, when our judgement is clouded. That is the only thing that matters. You do not remember what I said, but I assure you none of it was said with a clear mind and sound intention.”

Sehun nodded, biting his lip. He shuddered, the fragments he still remembered flashing behind his eyelids. That was not pleasant.

“Was that why Yifan was mad?” Sehun asked quietly.

“My words or the blood?” Kyungsoo asked, amused.

“Both.”

“Yes, and yes. He hadn’t spent much time in the room with Jongin’s blood, but even the slightest bit will cloud the judgement. Yifan is very against showing any rash emotions in your presence, for good reason.”

Sehun thought about it. Indeed, whenever he sensed that one of the vampires was… emotional, his own symptoms became worse.

“That was partly the reason why his reaction to my words was so extreme,” Kyungsoo added. It sounded like an afterthought.

Nodding again, Sehun looked away.

For a moment, there was silence. An owl hooted somewhere far, and the river in the West flowed and roiled.

“How can vampire blood affect you?” Sehun asked. He was genuinely curious. It didn’t seem to make much sense.

“Jongin had just fed, so most of it was human blood.”

Sehun’s mouth fell open again. It seemed like that was the only expression his face was capable of´making anymore. “Oh.”

“To repeat my earlier words, I am deeply sorry for my words and dearly hope that if someone repeats them to you, you will know why those words were said and do not judge me harshly for it.”

Sehun nodded. That seemed fair. He did not think that anything Kyungsoo said was that particularly offensive. He’d probably heard much worse.

And Yifan seemed like the type to overreact, if the earlier conversation about Yixing ending his life was to go by.

The familiar pain behind his eyes returned. Sehun winced, hiding his face in his eyes.

Kyungsoo appeared beside him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, alarmed.

“T-the memories, the fragments, when… when they come, they hurt,” Sehun stuttered, pressing the soles of his palms into his eyes. That helped, and the pain ebbed away slowly. Sehun took a couple of breaths and lifted his head up. His gaze was blurry from the pressure.

Disoriented, Sehun took a deep breath and looked at Kyungsoo. His brow was furrowed.

“Do you want me to wipe everything?” Kyungsoo asked. His low voice made Sehun’s gut clench pleasantly. “It should take those away, and it’s better to do it now than later.”

Sehun squirmed. “Will there be consequences?”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “I am good at what I do. I’ll make it so that you remember me tampering with your memories, but you won’t remember which ones. Nothing unnecessary.”

He thought about it for a long while. 

“P-please,” Sehun whispered.

Kyungsoo smiled. He had a pretty smile. “Did you have anything to say to me?”

Sehun gnawed on his lip. He did, but he did not know how to put it into words.

“I—” he started, but frowned and pressed his lips together. Kyungsoo sat down beside him, staring at Sehun. Taking a deep breath, Sehun collected his thoughts. “I would like to talk to all of you. Together. Because… because—”

Sehun swore, unable to continue. Kyungsoo chuckled, and Sehun felt heat creeping up his neck. He hadn’t felt this uneloquent in a while.

“You… you were the first one to use powers on me with the others objecting. Yet, Yixing does the same, but no one reprimands him. It… makes me uncomfortable,” Sehun said, trying to find the right word to describe his feelings. “I talked to Zitao earlier, and he refuses to tell me things. You came to warn me, with no explanation.Why am I being kept in the dark still?”

Kyungsoo’s handsome face morphed into a frown. Sehun’s breath hitched, and for a moment he prepared to be striked on the cheek.

Of course, Sehun wasn’t a child anymore, and Kyungsoo was not the mean cook at the servants’ quarters. Sehun just was not used to defying anyone.

The frown fell off of Kyungsoo’s face, replaced with concern.

Sehun swallowed and looked away, resting his chin on his knees. It’d been a while since he’d opened his heart to anyone. Saying anything even remotely close to that would have gotten him in so much trouble. But for some reason, with the vampires, Sehun felt he _ could _ say those things. It felt freeing in a way.

Doing it with the vampire who utterly terrified him just by existing was probably not smart. But Sehun couldn’t bring himself to care, with the way Kyungsoo stared and listened to his every word carefully. No one had quite paid such attention to him, ever.

“It’s… just so much. My world has been upended and I don’t know how to cope.”

Kyungsoo made a noise, filled with pity and disapproval. Somehow Sehun knew that the disapproval wasn’t for him.

“I rarely get a choice, whether it be my next meal or the books the librarian acquires. So… I’d like a choice with this?” he said, gesturing around them. He did not have a word for whatever one could call the situation he was in.

Kyungsoo frowned. “The Monarchy’s failure to uphold their part of the deal is proving to be more bothersome than we expected.”

Sehun wished he could sound that well-spoken.

“We should discuss this in a civil manner, the twelve of us. Indeed, it is not fair to you.”

A smile spread on Sehun’s face.

It was quickly banished from his face when another spike of pain bloomed through his skull. Sehun made a noise and squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

“Sehun.”

“Y-yes?”

“Let me take that away,” Kyungsoo said. Sehun whimpered pitifully.

“Please think of all the instances you thought of those memories,” Kyungsoo said softly, cupping Sehun’s cheek. “Look me in the eye.”

Sehun did as he said, and then a strange feeling spread through him. Kyungsoo mumbled something under his breath, low enough that Sehun could not hear. It felt akin to Yixing’s influence, just without the relief, or euphoria.

Sehun’s eyes drooped shut. 

Intoxication. That’s what it felt like. He barely felt Kyungsoo collect him in his arms, his head lulling against Kyungsoo’s clavicle, the silk soft beneath his cheek.

Kyungsoo said something and ran back towards the manor. Sehun did not, _ couldn’t, _ hear. His vision, blurry as it was, was slowly fading into black.

—

Sehun came to on his own bed, staring up at the canopy above. He took a deep breath and pushed himself up. Kyungsoo sat on the arm chairs, one of Sehun’s books in hand, a cup of tea in the other.

“How do you feel, Sehun?”

“Strange,” was the first word that popped into mind. He looked down at himself, and couldn’t help but chuckle. 

His feet had been cleaned, and a new set of stockings pulled on them.

The thought of _ Kyungsoo, _ of all the vampires, doing that to him… How hilarious.

“The others are waiting for us downstairs,” he said, pouring tea into another cup. Sehun swallowed, anxiety bubbling up in his throat. Wasn’t that just what he wanted?

Sehun looked at his own lap and gnawed at his lip. He wasn’t ready, but he would never be. At least he had Kyungsoo on his side. He’d defied Yifan, so he had to have authority. Yixing, and Minseok too. Probably Baekhyun also, despite his… strangeness.

“Drink this. I will take you there when you’re ready.” 

Sehun took the cup gratefully. Darjeeling tea, strongly spiced.

“What did you tell them?”

Kyungsoo’s lip quirked.

“That you are finally ready to actually be the Heir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you tell i really, really love tao?
> 
> twitter [@quavemire](https://twitter.com/quavemire) (bunch of my shitposts, please do come talk to me. saca snippets shall be provided)  
curiouscat [@quavemire](https://curiouscat.me/quavemire) (ask me anything, personal or fic related! im happy to provide insight into saca, with spoilers or not!)  
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> 
> tell me what you think! <3  
also, do tell whether you'd be interested in the mynoise tracks i listen to while i write this?
> 
> your kudos would make my day ~


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